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Kiducation Community event draws a crowd

By KRISTI R. GARABRANDT 3 min read

WELLSVILLE --Commerce Street was brightly colored on Saturday morning after the Kiducation Learning Center kicked off its 10-year anniversary celebration with more than 120 racers participating in a color run followed by a community event.

According to Jamie Mitchell, who co-owns the center with Aubrey Bach, the event was held to celebrate 10 years in business and their non-profit Kiducation Community Center which they expect to open soon.

The community event featured free activities for the kids such as a variety of games, inflatables, face painting and more. Free meals were served by Carr BBQ. There were also free snow cones, photo opportunities with costume characters and live goats for children to pet from Foster Farms. Children also had the opportunity to dance to a live DJ and play in foam.

Kiducation, a learning-based early child care center and preschool, was started by Bach and Mitchell who were elementary school friends with a little bit of start-up money and 10 children enrolled.

Two weeks after opening the center they had to request a capacity change to accommodate the growing number of children being enrolled. Ten years later, the center now has over 100 children, 17 staff members and is in need of more space.

"We have served over a thousand children over the last 10 years," Mitchell said. "God opened up this venture for Aubrey and I that we were simply invited to join. What an experience it has been. An incredible, awesome, beyond imagination kind of experience. God has given us the wisdom, strength, and vision. We put him first in every daily decision we have to make."

Bach and Mitchell purchased the building across the street from the center and are planning to branch out into a different route from childcare with that building.

They are currently working on opening the Kiducation Community for the children and families of the Wellsville community. The building is currently undergoing renovations. They hope to have it open within the next couple of months.

According to Mitchell, the community center is planned to be used for different youth programming such as a boys and girls before-and-school program. The Kiducation After School program will also move to the community center.

In the future she hopes to have it as a Boys and Girls Club that can be free or cost little to nothing. Bach and Mitchell are both children yoga instructors and hope to bring some health and wellness programs to the community center as well.

"We are in the process of partnering with different organizations in Columbiana County," Mitchell said. "We work closely with the Brightside Project, so eventually they will be able to bring their services there as well."

Mitchell noted that she and Bach are open to hearing from the community as to what they would like to see.

Mitchell feels Kiducation is a very important part of the community because the early education of childre up to five years is vital. She feels they help meet that need, while providing services for working families or those going to school. They have the preschool only program that runs doing the school year and have been rated a five-star center.

"So, here's to 10 years of business. Thank you, God, for the amazing blessings you have poured upon Kiducation," Mitchell said. "Thank you to our wonderful Kiducation families, without you we would not be here. Thank you to our amazing staff and thank you everyone that has supported us on this journey."

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com

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