This Día del Niño, Laredo College Camilo Prada Child Development Center students were treated to story time by PNC Bank volunteers as part of their national Grow Up Great signature program.
Students and volunteers in the different classrooms shared the experience and story “Wonder Walkers” by Micha Archer. They explored the vast and varied vistas of planet Earth that begged the question of “I wonder if” from the students. From wondering if the dirt is the planet’s skin to wondering if the caves have mouths, our Palo-Minis’ imagination ran wild. 
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Grow Up Great, a bilingual early childhood education initiative that sees the bank invest over $500 million over multiple years, PNC Bank Texas-Border Market Client and Community Relations Director Rosa Cruz said. The goal is to provide more resources that benefit the children and bolster early-age literacy.
“We care deeply about early childhood education because it is the foundation for lifelong learning,” Cruz said. “More than a corporate initiative, PNC Grow Up Great is a whole commitment that wouldn't be what it is without PNC volunteers and we continue to find new ways to support and deliver engaging programs, experiences and resources to the Laredo community.”
Before the time spent reading and sparking the imagination, the PNC volunteers assembled activity sets that expanded on the book and allowed for the children to further engage within the realm of what was just read. The children learned more about numbers, words, colors and beyond that tie into the world around them.
“The impact PNC is making on our Palo-Minis, our Child Development Program and students at Laredo College is a direct reflection of the leadership that PNC Regional President for the Texas Border Market Susana Melendez-Valencia and her team are having on our community,” LC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Dr. Diana Ortiz said. “We appreciate their generous Grow Up Great donation of $20,000 for our Camilo Prada Child Development Center. It will be used to create multiple opportunities for our students, teachers and the program.”
Camilo Prada Child Development Center Director Maria G. Martinez said the Grow Up Great initiative and Día del Niño perfectly aligned and helped expand on the children’s literacy. She highlighted the value of the activity sets and how the children benefitted from PNC’s visit.
“Our foundation is learning through play,” Martinez said. “We thank PNC for their continuous support in helping foster children’s development throughout the nation.”
The Camilo Prada teachers were also awarded gift cards for Lakeshore, a teacher supply store, from PNC to provide further support of the staff’s mission in fostering the wellbeing and education of the students. Martinez said the gift further deepens their appreciation and gratitude toward the collaboration.
Ortiz said the college is especially proud that the Camilo Prada Child Development Center serves as a training ground for our students who have the opportunity to be teachers at the center. She concluded by saying that it is a tremendous blessing for our students to have a program that focuses on nurturing prospective educators with powerful resources and talented mentors.