OTC receives $180K early childhood grant

Ozarks Technical Community College was chosen for a $180,494 grant from the Missouri Department of Social Services.

The funding is earmarked to expand OTC's Lewis Family Early Childhood Education Center to also serve infants and toddlers starting in fall 2021, according to a news release. The center currently provides education for children ages 2-5; it's available to OTC students, employees and community members.

“This grant is great news for parents and for our college students studying early childhood education,” said Jennifer Crouch, center director, in the release. “We’ll be able to serve children at a younger age, and since we are a laboratory school, our college students will gain valuable experience working with infants and toddlers.”

The grant means the center will be able to serve up to 88 children between birth and 5 years old. It currently has the capacity for 80 students, said OTC spokesperson Mark Miller.

Located at the corner of Pythian Street and Hampton Avenue, center officials also will use grant funding to renovate a space for a new classroom, improve another classroom, purchase furniture and supplies, and pay for training for new staff members, according to the release.