The Idaho Falls YMCA is opening a new learning center on the ISU campus in Idaho Falls, and Donovan Stokes stopped by our studio to explain how the new center can support parents.
Below is a transcript of the interview.
Kaylee Galaviz: The YMCA is preparing to open a new learning center, and Donovan Stokes from the Idaho Falls YMCA is here with us in studio. Thanks for having me.
Donovan Stokes: Thank you.
Kaylee: So can you give us an overview of this new center?
Donovan: We're very excited about the new YMCA Learning Center, which will be part of the ISU campus in Idaho Falls, right next to Freeman Park. It's a YMCA early learning center for kids ages 1 to 5.
Jeff Roper: So it's aimed at young people?
Donovan: For young people, yes. We have a lot of parents who work hard. So we work with the community to make sure that kids have a safe place to be while their parents are working and trying to make a living and provide for their families.
Jeff: So that's what you're going to use. How many hours will you use this for?
Donovan: Our hours of operation will be Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., but our grand opening will be the day after Labor Day, I believe it will be September 3. That's when we plan to open.
Jeff: Next Tuesday. Next?
DONOVAN: Yes. Next Tuesday. Right. It's getting closer. Right.
Jeff: Do I have to be a member of the Y to do this?
Donovan: You don't have to be a member of the Y. This is definitely a partnership with ISU students, INL and some other community support.
Kaylee: So where do you go to enroll your child?
Donovan: You can still visit our main location at 155 North Corner Avenue, but we need to see how things go before we open up enrollment to the general community. Right now, we want to focus specifically on INL and ISU students. We will open up enrollment after that, and we will share more information with you at that time.
KAILEY: That's interesting. So you've already reached out to people at INL and ISU?
Donovan: Yeah, right. We're still working on that. So this will be available to anyone. But we want to make sure that ISU students and INL employees have the opportunity to take advantage of this.
Jeff: So who is your staff? Are they teachers in training or preschool educators?
Donovan: We are preschool educators, licensed teachers, and we are excited to open up and provide a safe place for kids to play. Our staff will be coming from the YMCA. Okay, so we're excited. This is a very historic moment for the Idaho Falls Family YMCA to have expanded programming for our kids.
Kaylee: Yeah, that's really important because it brings more families.
Donovan: Oh, yeah.
Jeff: This is going to be big. Keep us posted.
Donovan: Of course.
Jeff: So, think back to your favorite dance. Are you ready? Yes. I learned that dance at the YMCA.