JACKSON — A $3,500 donation from the Southern Ohio Cleanup Company will help pay for science-focused playground equipment at the new Goodwill Childcare Center in Jackson.
The center is expected to serve up to 80 children, from infants through age 5. The new outdoor equipment is meant to turn playtime into an early introduction to science, technology, engineering and math, giving young children a chance to explore and experiment outside the classroom as well as inside it.
Goodwill of South Central Ohio says its curriculum for infants, toddlers and preschoolers already weaves STEM-related activities into both classroom work and outdoor play. Leaders at the cleanup company said supporting early learning was the point of the gift, noting that learning starts well before children reach school age and that play helps build both brain development and an interest in science.
The Jackson location is the second childcare center Goodwill has opened in Ohio and one of four the organization operates nationwide, according to the announcement.
The donation came through the Southern Ohio Cleanup Company’s community grant program. Families who want to learn more about the new center can find information through Goodwill of South Central Ohio, and details on the company’s grant program are posted by the company online.