BC3 Children’s Creative Learning Center dedicates outdoor nature classroom

CCLC children name classroom Green Garden Park

(Butler, PA) The Children’s Creative Learning Center (CCLC) at Butler County Community College held a ceremony on Friday, October 21 to dedicate the outdoor nature classroom located behind the CCLC facility on main campus. The Alcoa Foundation contributed a $25,000 grant in 2013 for materials, equipment, and staff training for the outdoor nature classroom. A sign recognizing the contribution of the Alcoa Foundation was revealed during the ceremony.

Aptly named Green Garden Park by the CCLC children, the classroom opened at the beginning of the Fall 2015 semester and was designed by Moore Design Associates. Green Garden Park encourages learning, discovery, and play in a natural setting. The outdoor space features a gardening area, a slide built into the hillside, a space for music with stationary instruments, and an area to work with natural materials such as dirt, water, and sand.

President Neupauer welcomed guests including Debbie Walker, Human Resources Generalist of Kawneer Cranberry/Alcoa Building and Construction Systems; Sara Moore, Landscape Architect of Moore Design Associates; employees of the College; and parents of the CCLC children. Judy Zuzack, Director of the CCLC, shared thoughts from the children about Green Garden Park.

“It is just wonderful to see what has been built at Green Garden Park, but even better is to see the children enjoying the space in so many different ways. We are pleased to be a partner with BC3. This is very rewarding,” said Walker. 

The CCLC at BC3 is a state licensed preschool and childcare center. The classroom environment is designed to help each child attain optimum growth in the areas of social, emotional, language, cognitive, and physical development. Serving children ages 3 to 6, the CCLC is open to students and employees of BC3 and the community. There are currently 36 students enrolled at the CCLC.

The Alcoa Foundation is one of the largest corporate foundations in the United States, with assets of approximately $480 million. Founded 63 years ago, Alcoa Foundation has invested more than $615 million. In 2014, Alcoa Foundation contributed more than $22 million to nonprofit organizations throughout the world, building innovative partnerships to improve the environment and educate tomorrow’s leaders for careers in manufacturing and engineering. The work of Alcoa Foundation is further enhanced by Alcoa’s thousands of employee volunteers who share their talents and time to make a difference in the communities where Alcoa operates. Through the company’s signature Month of Service program, in 2104, 58% of Alcoa employees took part in more than 1,000 events across 24 countries, benefiting more than 700,000 people and 500 nonprofit organizations.

For more information about Green Garden Park, contact Ruth Purcell, Executive Director of the BC3 Education Foundation, Inc. at 724-287-8711, ext. 8368.