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Metro Tech Early Education Center Hosts Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting

Metro Tech Early Education Center Hosts Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting

Metro Tech Partners with Sunbeam Family Services to Support Children and Families of Southeast OKC

On Thursday, May 25, Sunbeam Family Services and Metro Technology Centers celebrated the official grand opening and ribbon cutting of the newly constructed Early Education Center at the Metro Tech South Bryant Campus located at 4901 S. Bryant Ave. The 9,000 sq. ft. Center designed and built by Renaissance Architects and Smith and Pickel LLC., will offer high-quality, affordable early care and education to children and families in Southeast Oklahoma City.

In total, approximately 70 people attended the celebration. The program and ribbon cutting speakers included Justin Brown, Oklahoma Secretary of Human Services; Aaron Collins, Metro Tech Superintendent; Dr. Linda Ware Toure, Metro Tech Board of Education President; Chris Harrison, Sunbeam Board President; Dr. Stephanie Hinton, Director of Early Childhood at OKCPS; Sarah Rahhal, Sunbeam CEO; Robert J. Ross, Chairman and CEO of Inasmuch Foundation and Oklahoma City Councilman Todd Stone.

Metro Tech’s partnership with Sunbeam surrounds efforts to support students attending career training as well as working families that meet workforce demands in Oklahoma City. Through this partnership, Sunbeam will operate classrooms for babies and toddlers. Services will officially be open to children of students who attend the Metro Tech South Bryant Campus, children’s siblings who attend Bodine Elementary School and families who reside the surrounding community in July.

“We are constantly looking at ways to ensure our community has the support necessary to complete quality career training and build our workforce in the metro area,” Superintendent Collins said. “It was apparent from our initial survey results that Southeast Oklahoma City was lacking affordable childcare. Thanks to our partnership with Sunbeam and the communities support for our 2019 bond initiative, we can address this need in Southeast Oklahoma City.”

A survey conducted by Metro Tech in 2019 asked families who attend Bodine Elementary School about the need for affordable quality childcare in the area. Nearly 75 percent responded they lack early education care for their child or grandchild. Bodine is one of the largest elementary schools in the Oklahoma City Public School District and is located to the south of Metro Tech’s South Bryant Campus.

“We are honored to partner with Metro Tech in providing high quality early care and education to young children and families in our community,” Sunbeam CEO Sarah Rahhal, LCSW said. “We are committed to helping promote the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of young children. This is accomplished through safe and developmentally enriching caregiving, which prepares babies and toddlers for continued growth, development and success in school and life.”

Sunbeam Family Services are a leader in early childhood education and creates a foundation for continued achievement and readiness for school by building community support among schools, teachers and families. The nonprofit offers a low teacher-child ratio where children can receive more personalized attention from highly educated staff. Children and families also are supported through Sunbeam’s specialized services, which includes connecting with Infant Mental Health therapists and the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program.

“As the leader of high-quality early childhood education in our city, Sunbeam is always looking for ways to better serve children and families,” Inasmuch Foundation Chairman and CEO Robert J. Ross said. “The Metro Teach Early Education Center will allow Sunbeam to expand their services to help meet the needs of the Southeast OKC community. We couldn’t be more thrilled to join the numerous community partners and leaders who brought this project to life.”

Secretary Brown also agreed with the importance of early care and education services.

“High-quality early childhood programs are critical, not only to the education continuum but also to the family building system and to the economy of our state,” Secretary Brown said. “Aligning high-quality providers like Sunbeam and Metro Tech provides a much-needed resource for families looking to support themselves and advance their careers.”

For more information about the Metro Tech Early Education Center visit SunbeamFamilyServices.org or call (405) 528-7721.

About Sunbeam Family Services

Founded in 1907, Sunbeam’s mission is to build brighter futures with all children and families. Sunbeam, a United Way of Central Oklahoma Community Partner, is one of Oklahoma’s longest-serving nonprofits. To learn more, call (405) 528-7721, visit SFSok.org or join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

One of the largest and most diverse technology centers in Oklahoma, Metro Tech has four campuses offering short-term, career and customized business training options. Campuses are located in South Oklahoma City, Northeast Oklahoma City, Downtown Oklahoma City and the Will Rogers Airport.