Today we’d like to introduce you to Catherine Evenson.
Hi Catherine, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Rainbow Bright Christian Learning Center has been in operation since August 1989 as a form of community outreach by the First Mennonite Church of Paso Robles. Their goal was to provide quality child care in the community while providing a Christian based faith for the child, as well as the family. The church approached Rebecca Rios and Helen Toevs (who was/is a member of FMC) from Paso Robles Christian School Child Development Center to start the process of licensing the center. Initially, RBCLC was licensed for 20 children, but in 2003 with a generous donation from a benefactor, an addition was built and doubled the capacity to 40 children. Through our play based learn approach, we allow children to learn and grow at their own pace, while still preparing them for the vast educational world in their future. It is also RBCLC goal to plant the seeds of faith in every child, so as they take on the world, they know our Lord and Savior is by their side to help along the way!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No journey is ever without it’s bumps and RBCLC is no different. Along our almost 37 years serving the Paso Robles community we have experienced the waves in need for childcare. Some years we will have a full enrollment with a waiting list, but then other years have seen us seeking families who need our service. In recent years our biggest struggle has been finding staff for our center. The field of early childhood is one that comes with many rewards, but financial wealth is not usually one of those rewards for our teachers unfortunately. Finding a balance in keeping our service affordable for families while charging enough to keep bills and payroll paid is a very delicate balance. This job also isn’t easy. It’s not just playing with kids all day as some think. A day working in early childhood brings not only a need for physical strength (keeping up with the energy level of the 12 children you are responsible to supervise in your group), but also mental strength (answering a million questions on why the sky is blue while always watching to make sure children are staying safe). There are many jobs out there that pay the same and don’t require the dedication it does to be a teacher. This has really limited our pool of potential staff and made it hard to enroll students because we don’t have the teachers to provide the care.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At RBCLC we strive to provide a loving, Christ centered learning opportunity for the youngest learners in our community. Our children are given many opportunities to learn through play each day vs being sat down and given repetitive worksheets to complete. We try to do as many hands on learning activities as possible throughout each day. Learning isn’t just limited to the inside of our building, but we carry the learning outside as well. During our expansion in 2003, our outdoor area was also expanded. A bike track and large, shaded turf area are a favorite of our current children. But the slides and swings on the other half of the playground are well used also. Our amazing outdoor space and the ability to carry our learning from inside to outside sets us apart from other early childhood centers in the area.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Paso Robles is a great area to be located in. Even with the population growth in the last 20 years, we are still a small, quaint town where families can settle down roots or continue to grow the family tree that was planted many generations ago.
Having more family friendly activities would make Paso Robles the almost perfect city!
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