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Hollingworth, on the brink of its fourth decade of scholarship and service, continues to extend its work, reach, and deep sense of commitment to ensure that the potentials of all children are recognized, validated, and nurtured. It has been quite a journey thus far and as we look toward the horizon we see many more paths beckoning us. We are filled with inspiration, ideas, and a deep sense of purpose, but we need your help.

The Hollingworth Center opened its doors to families, children, graduate students, and educators from around the globe in 1981. Since that time our singular focus of nurturing the potential of all guides our work through multiple avenues. Whether on the Teachers College campus at one of our signature program of the Preschool or Science Camp, through outreach services in our District 5 neighborhood school or in Santiago, Chile, or through are multifaceted workshops and presentations, we are constantly guided by the desire to be on the forefront of re-envision early education and re-imaging science education. And why? We want to ensure that our focused work not only sustains those in our immediate community but reaches far beyond 120th Street. The children with us today are the global problem solvers of tomorrow. The apprentice graduate students deeply engaged in the Hollingworth Way are the classroom teachers and leaders who carry innovation to schools as close as Harlem and as far away as China. The visiting scholars, researchers, and practitioners who join us for spirited conversations leave inspired by our work and community.

Why Give?

While tuition revenues support our programs and we remain enormously gratefully to the families over many years who have entrusted their children to us, these funds do no cover the cost of our work. While we are a Center of Teachers College, we are required to meet all of our own operating expenses. It is the generosity of donors who support the Hollingworth mission that enable us to fund integral components of our vision including scholarships for children, outreach in Harlem and globally, and the urgent need to disseminate our work.

Hollingworth is more than a preschool, a camp, outreach, and research. It is a model Center at the premiere school of education in the world, Teachers College, Columbia University. It is with deep commitment that we uphold our responsibility to not only lead the way but share generously what we have learned along the way. We hope you will consider joining us in this important work that begins on 120th Street and then makes it way into the world.

Support Hollingworth Science Camp

The inaugural program of the Center, Hollingworth Science Camp began in 1981 with 15 campers. Since then, camp has become the quintessential early science program for over 3000 children. The cornerstone of our program is our belief that all children naturally possess the ability to think, act, and learn like scientists. By giving children access to authentic materials, experiences and challenges, we nurture questioning, and problem solving. By engaging together with real-world issues we nurture critical thinking and a sense of agency. Our goal in doing this is to empower our campers to see their own potential, not only as future scientists or engineers but as future writers, speakers, artists, designers, business owners, policy makers, voters, consumers, and humans.

Our camp families, as nurturers of their children’s potential since the day they were born, are powerful advocates for their children. By giving their children varied and unique opportunities they are investing not only in their children’s future, but in the future of our world. It is an act of hope to invest in the growth of our children. It is with this same hope for the future that we ask, will you give this meaningful experience to another child, to another family?

Why Give?

Each year we receive camp applications from parents who follow the lead of their children and find a place called Hollingworth. These are the science nurturers who understand that interests and passions must be fostered. Yet, for some of these families, circumstances place our tuition out of reach, and our available scholarship funds always fall short of the need. As a parent, you experienced the gift of Science in the City through your child. It is with this same commitment that you can also open these same doors for other children. We envision a sustaining scholarship fund allowing us to welcome more children who demonstrate need. Won’t you consider joining us in the realization of this goal? In doing so you foster a child’s aspirations and perhaps may even impact the life trajectory of a budding scientist.

Support Hollingworth Science Camp

Support Hollingworth Preschool

Hollingworth Preschool began with an idea, a $4000 grant and the vision of our extraordinary founding educators in 1983. Since that time, through the collective passion of those committed to this little school situated inside of one of the most highly regarded graduate schools of education in the world, Hollingworth maintains an international reputation. But most importantly, it has been the seminal education for over 630 very young children and their families. Our alums return sharing wonderful memories, the paths of their lives, and most recently their own precious children. As we continue this multi-generational journey, it is our ardent hope offer the “Hollingworth Years” to the many future children we welcome. Because we know, through our research, our stories, and our heart, that these are the most important days and weeks of school.

Why Give?

Hollingworth is self-funded through its tuition revenues. Our scholarship fund is built each year through the generosity of those who care about our work. And while we remain deeply appreciative for these funds, the need for scholarships each year far exceeds what is in our fund. We have seen the impact financial assistance has not only on a child’s early childhood development, but on their educational path beyond preschool. It has been remarkable to witness. Won’t you consider a donation to our scholarship fund at whatever level you choose? We know your gifted has the capacity to change a child’s life.

Support Hollingworth Preschool

Support Hollingworth Harlem Outreach

Our local outreach program was born out of our commitment to give back to our Harlem community in tangible, meaningful ways. Beginning in 2001 P.S. 36, our neighborhood school, graciously opened its door to us. Over the past 17 years it has been our honor to offer hands-on, immersive, and culturally relevant science experiences for the kindergarten, first and second graders and their teachers. Our collective goal has been to spark an early and enduring love for science through our weekly lessons and investigations. Thus far we have inspired over 1800 children and countless teachers and have witnessed first hand the potential in every child to engage in scientific thinking.

Funding for educational initiatives like Hollingworth Science Outreach almost always requires a research component, but our work at P.S. 36 is for the children, not for data collection. Because of this, our outreach program is entirely self-funded, and this is where we need your help.

Why Give?

Our P.S. 36 children lack access to many of the materials that are now considered essential for early education in science and engineering. For example, construction materials such as magnatiles, Kapla blocks, and Tegu blocks create opportunities to practice creativity and visual problem-solving. Non-computer based coding manipulates including KIBO robotics kits, Cubetto present unique training in critical thinking, communication, and focus. Additionally, our children need classroom libraries that showcase culturally-relevant stories and biographies so that, through these mentor texts, they may see mirrors of themselves and windows into the future. And finally, our children need funding for field trips to explore deeply in their city and widen their horizons through eco-trips outside of the city. These early experiences become deeply rooted in the minds of young children and foster aspirational thinking, a growth mindset, and a sustaining curiosity. Won’t you consider giving so we in turn can enrich the lives of these emerging scientists?

Support Hollingworth Global Outreach

Hollingworth’s Global Outreach Initiative has taken us around the world, but most recently, we have been working in Chile. Collaborating with Hollingworth educators located in Santiago, we have piloted a science camp program in Huilo, Huilo, Chile, participated in professional development for science teachers, and shared our research and best practices with passionate science and early education teachers. Through this work, we aim to empower teachers from Chile to create inquiry-based science experiences for their students, enrich the learning and teaching of science, and create opportunities for meaningful and inspiring learning in schools across South and Central America.

Why Give?

As our collaboration in Chile evolves, new opportunities to share our knowledge and support teachers present themselves every month. All of our outreach is self-funded, and we rely on the support of generous donors. Your donations directly support our work abroad, allowing us to travel to locations both familiar and new, and to host educators at home. Consider supporting our global outreach today, and know that your contribution helps create powerful connections and, most importantly, powerful learning experiences for educators and learners from around the world.

Support Local & Global Outreach