Tag: Cherry Preschool

On the 18th Anniversary of September 11: Remembering the Power of Community and Caring

On the 18th Anniversary of September 11: Remembering the Power of Community and Caring
On every anniversary of September 11, I think of the power of community and caring. My memory of that day is forever linked to the early childhood educators of Cherry Preschool, who were a caring community trying to manage their own terror to welcome young children and comfort their families on the first day of preschool. Those... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
September 10, 2019 at 10:54 am • 

Remembering September 11

What follows is an excerpt from my book Terribly Strange and Wonderfully Real... The kids whose first day of preschool was September 11, 2001, are in college and beyond now. I doubt they have any memory of the day at all, but their parents and my colleagues and I at Cherry Preschool will never forget it.... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
September 11, 2017 at 6:07 am • 

The Cherry Preschool Silver Anniversary: A Shout Out to its Founders

We hugged and laughed and even cried. There are bonds that never lessen, even with the passage of time, even when folks don’t see one another that often. Celebrating Warren W. Cherry Preschool’s 25th anniversary with the founders of the preschool reminded me of how powerful the connection is between thirteen people who came together... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
May 1, 2017 at 10:54 am • 
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Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton Inspires Kids to Learn History

We Should be Teaching our Kids More History in School My ten-year-old granddaughter and her peers have moved on from Harry Potter to Hamilton. Although she hasn’t seen the play, she loves the music and the story behind it. And this has motivated her to ask questions and read more about American history. Right now,... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
December 30, 2016 at 12:38 pm • 

Warren Cherry: Trump, God, or Obama?

Every year for the past twenty-four years, I take the portrait of Warren W. Cherry, for whom Cherry Preschool is named, to the four-year-old classes. While the children have noticed this picture in the school’s front hall, only a few of them know who it is. I do this to keep his name alive and... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
December 7, 2016 at 6:29 am • 

Thanksgiving Tribute to the Cherry Preschool Founders: There Were no Selfies Then

When the founding board of Cherry Preschool held a reunion to reminisce in advance of the school’s 25th anniversary, we made a surprising discovery. There was not a single photo of the board and staff that worked tirelessly to create the early childhood program. So we took a new photo and joked that it was... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
November 24, 2016 at 7:28 am • 
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Bullying: Setting Kids on Fire, Creepy Clowns, Locker Room Talk and Other Hated-Filled Acts

This is not the world I had hoped my eight grandchildren would inherit. I truly thought our country was on track to be more loving, accepting, inclusive, and kind. Instead, during Bullying Prevention Month, folks are talking about a child with special needs in Texas being set on fire with classmates who taunted him accused... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
October 10, 2016 at 2:25 pm • 

Fifteen Years Ago: September 11 at Preschool

What follows is an excerpt from my book Terribly Strange and Wonderfully Real... The kids whose first day of preschool was September 11, 2001, are in college now. I doubt they have any memory of the day at all, but my colleagues and I at Cherry Preschool will never forget it. Because it was what... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
September 11, 2016 at 6:13 am • 

Cherry Preschool: Innovation in Latino Community Outreach

Cherry Preschool has a history of innovation. Over its 24 years, the school has often looked at an issue and, inspired by Robert Kennedy’s often used variation of a quote by George Bernard Shaw, has asked itself to “dream things that never were and say, why not.” Once again, the Evanston early childhood program is... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
May 2, 2016 at 2:34 pm • 
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Learning Through Play: Another Visit to Cherry Preschool

I walked into a classroom at Cherry Preschool in Evanston, Illinois to check out the recent activities and get my fix of watching preschoolers doing what they do best – learning through play. A brief disclaimer: This is the school I founded and directed until my retirement, so it is definitely my happy place. The... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
February 2, 2016 at 6:18 am •