During this year’s GiveOrcas Campaign (May 4 to May 18), the Early Childhood Education Initiative is raising money for Orcas Island’s youngest students.

By helping to offset the cost of tuition for three Orcas Island state-licensed Preschools, it is ECEI’s mission to support struggling families in providing their children full-time access to high-quality preschool education. The three preschools that are currently sponsored by ECEI include: Orcas Island Children’s House, Orcas Montessori School, and Kaleidoscope Preschool and Childcare Center.

When speaking with Kristee Rajczi, a special education teacher of pre-kindergarten through second-grade students at the Orcas Island School District, she stressed the importance of providing Early Childhood Education for students with developmental delays.

“The sooner we can catch these delays, the more effectively we can provide students with the tools and support they need to succeed,” Rajczi said.

Furthermore, the Preschool Director at Orcas Montessori School, Maggie Vinson, explained how the financial backing that ECEI provides to her preschool helps ensure that she will never have to turn a child away because of their family’s economic status.

If you want to support Orcas Island’s youngest students by improving their access to high-quality preschool education, please donate to ECEI at https://oicf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1151. To maximize the outcome of your contribution, consider donating $100+ on Benjamin Franklin Day (May 9), or $10+ on Unique Donor Day (May 15). Grantees with the most donations on these days will win an extra $1000/$500/$250 bonus.

For more information about ECEI, you can visit our website at www.orcasece.com, follow our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/orcasecei, or visit our table at the Orcas Island Farmers Market (Saturday, May 6 and 13). We value all your donations, no matter the size. Thank you for supporting ECEI.