CSN breaks ground on early childhood lab that will train future teachers, serve local families

Editor's note: Este artículo está traducido al español.

Five children — each wearing a bright yellow hard hat and gripping a colorful plastic shovel — stood in a line Monday morning, flanked by officials from the College of Southern Nevada and the Nevada System of Higher Education.

They plunged their shovels into a dirt mound on an empty lot near the college’s Student Union and flung soil into the air, grinning the whole time.

The children were members of the college’s Early Childhood Education Lab, joining executives for a groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of construction on a new building — one that will one day welcome future classes of children through the same program.

The facility will be critical both for training students in the early childhood education degree program and for delivering high-quality education to young children in the community, officials said. The center is planned to open in 2028 at the college’s Charleston Boulevard location.

“Today, we break ground on a facility, but more importantly, we lay the foundation for future educators, stronger families and brighter opportunities for the children of Southern Nevada,” CSN President Stacy Klippenstein said. “This center highlights what we’ll provide students; it’s the real-world learning opportunities that will help address the ongoing need for quality education … and I just want to mention that the investments in early childhood education have a ripple effect, as we all know, that benefits children, our families, our schools, our employers and our broader community.”

The project is funded by Campus for Hope, a 900-bed transitional housing facility for the region’s homeless population under construction near the CSN campus. The development displaced the Early Childhood Lab, which had occupied part of the site. The lab has since relocated to a temporary space at the North Las Vegas campus, while Campus for Hope leaders have committed a multimillion-dollar investment toward a new permanent facility.

The nationally accredited and state-licensed childcare program serves as a resource for young children, local families and aspiring teachers alike, said Rochelle Hooks, chair of CSN’s department of education. Hooks’ son attended the lab.

CSN students use the lab to gain hands-on practicum experience in what Hooks described as an “immersive environment,” where they “apply evidence-based practices, observe developmentally appropriate instruction and engage in reflective teaching aligned with coursework.”

But what sets the program apart, Hooks stressed, is the care staff bring to every child who walks through the door.

Nearly all hold early childhood teaching degrees or are actively pursuing one, and together they cultivate a “nurturing, engaging and responsive” environment that supports children’s social and emotional development, problem-solving skills, curiosity and early literacy, she said.

“Today is especially meaningful because this expansion allows us to bring this high-quality program back to the West Charleston campus, building on the strength and resilience of our team, and the strength and resilience that they have already demonstrated,” Hooks said. “We are incredibly excited about what is ahead, and grateful to be a part of a project that will make a lasting difference for our children, our families and our communities.”