United Way of Morris County News
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Teen/Tot Learning Program
June 2005

How an inspired Director at a local child care center is making a difference.

As Executive Director of Collinsville Child Care Center for over 17 years, Karen Wasick brings to work each day a vast amount of experience and an extraordinary energy level.

The newly renovated Center, snugly tucked in a corner of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Morristown, offers subsidized care for 3 to 5 year olds from largely low income families and has been a member agency of United Way of Morris County for over twenty years.

We at United Way have long been impressed by Karen's creative educational approaches, particularly in developing programs that have tangible results for the families that come to Collinsville. For instance, special language immersion programs have been developed not just for the children but for their families as well. The Center also features programs in the arts and in computer training.

But it was in 1994 that Karen was truly inspired.

When she took a hard look at the kids at Collinsville and at the community around her, she saw two problems: preschoolers with few adult male role models, and local teens at risk.

At that point, Karen conceived a revolutionary program that tackled both problems at once, the Teen/Tot Learning Program.

The Teen/Tot Learning Program trains and employs minority males as teacher assistants in child care centers serving the low-income working poor. The program is designed to link nurturing low-income minority male teens with largely low-income minority preschoolers, many of who have no father or other positive and consistent male role model.

Through this innovative program, Karen has helped over 75 minority young men complete high school, gain entrance to and graduate from college, seek and retain employment, and learn the fundamentals of caring for and teaching young children.

This program has been largely supported by United Way of Morris County since its inception.

"United Way's support of Teen/Tot has made an enormous different to Collinsville and to the young men who have benefited from the program", says Karen.