Kiddie Kampus Cooperative Preschool was teeming with parents, students, and young alumni (like myself!) celebrating the school’s 75th anniversary on Saturday, May 18. The event featured food and music, memorabilia from years past, and a mayoral declaration ceremony.
Located at 1711 Second Street, the co-op was the first pre-kindergarten in Alameda when it opened as Alameda Play Center Inc. in 1948, a fact only recently discovered by school staff. Unlike traditional preschools, Kiddie Kampus emphasizes a play-based curriculum with a philosophy that children learn best through exploration. Parents and guardians have an immersive, hands-on role in assisting the co-op’s teachers to forge their children’s learning experiences.
Sponsored by the Kate McCaffrey Group, Alameda Municipal Power, and Signature Aviation, the event was a celebration of the co-op’s history and its families, past and present.
“It was a very memorable, wonderful time,” said Ben Mickus, father of two children who graduated from Kiddie Kampus in 2013 and 2016. “Parents are here just as much as the kids are here! We have parent lunches and work weekends where we clean up and keep things looking good.”
Madeline Giscombe’s daughters Camden and Veronica are former and current students, respectively. “The community model makes us make friends and be social,” she added. “It’s a magical place. [Camden] loved being allowed to explore, the freedom, and making friends.”
Inside the schoolhouse, many celebrants admired photos of past student cohorts that were displayed on the walls and in a special exhibit featuring snapshots dating back to the 1960s.
Jeremy, who graduated six years ago, recalled fond memories of circle time and hanging out in the “softie lofty,” the school’s wooden indoor playhouse. His mother, Robyn Wu, became emotional as she spoke about why she chose to enroll Jeremy in the co-op.
“The academics are always there, but I loved the focus on learning how to play,” Wu explained. “When I met the teachers and saw the place for the first time, I knew it was a great choice.”
As noon approached, an audience formed outside on the lawn, surrounded by “75” balloons, picnic tables, and plenty of excited children running around. Board President Jocelyn Tsai Douglas addressed the crowd as she kicked off the ceremony.
“This celebration really isn’t just for all of you, but it’s about all of you,” Tsai Douglas declared. “All of you, all of the families, all of the educators, and the people in our community that have supported us through the years make this school such a special place and make it so successful.”
In her declaration, Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft celebrated the co-op as a non-judgmental, inclusive community for both students and parents to learn and grow.
“The City of Alameda congratulates Kiddie Kampus Cooperative Preschool on their 75th anniversary of enriching early childhood education in Alameda, thanks them for the invaluable services they have provided to generations of Alameda children and their families, and wishes them continued success into the future,” the mayor declared.
After accepting the declaration, Kiddie Kampus Co-Director Lori Whittock thanked the Mayor and spoke about recent successes in managing online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating the diverse needs of students, and continuing to serve the community even as California rolls out its Universal Prekindergarten program.
In her closing remarks, Secretary Jenni Hall gave a special shout out to the alumni in attendance.
“You’re the reason that the community is around, that we’re still celebrating, that we’re still here. This is your legacy, this is all your hard work that you put in while you were here, and it’s now blooming.”
As an alum who attended Kiddie Kampus during the 2004-2005 school year, I thought back to my own fond memories of “hard work,” such as spending circle time with live reptiles, hiding beneath “softie lofty” to surprise my grandparents who were picking me up, and seemingly having new best friends every single day.
In the nearly two decades since I last stepped foot into Kiddie Kampus, I have tried to embody its lessons in curiosity and its growth mindset through high school, college, and now my professional life.
As an adult, it can sometimes become difficult to slow down or balance different priorities. But as I watched the young students cheerfully line up to get a piece of the celebratory cake, Whittock’s words echoed in my mind: “Kiddie Kampus may be the starting point in your educational journey. But let it also be the place to return to when you want to remember how to play.”
Ken Der is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. Contact him via [email protected]. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Ken-Der.
