Weinland Park Project
The Project
The Weinland Park Early Childhood Development project is a building, academic program, and service effort that Ohio State is undertaking. The College of Education and Human Ecology is building a new facility in the Weinland Park neighborhood and moving the A. Sophie Rogers Lab School to this neighborhood adjacent to campus, east of High Street. Former Ohio State University President William E. "Brit" Kirwan cited the Weinland Park Early Childhood Development Project as a perfect example of what today’s great land-grant universities need to be doing to help solve societal ills. President Karen A. Holbrook has invested $1 million of her discretionary budget to help build the new facility.
The Neighborhood
Weinland Park is a neighborhood of documented need. The overall demographic picture of the community is one of poverty, unemployment, and low educational attainment. Income levels average $15,252 for homeowners and $4000 for those in government housing. Weinland Park is one of the highest concentrations of non-uniform government housing in the country. Only 30% of area residents over the age of 25 have high school degrees or the equivalency and more than half of the neighborhood families are female-headed with children under the age of 18. The neighborhood desperately needs quality, affordable childcare.
The Academic and Research Program
The College of Education and Human Ecology’s Early Childhood Development and Education program has experienced a growth of 40% in 3 years. The program has been in place for 80 years and this growth has put unprecedented pressure on the existing facilities and program resources. The current student teaching and observation environment, the A. Sophie Rogers Early Childhood Laboratory School located on the first floor of Campbell Hall, accommodates a limited number of children – 10 infants and toddlers and 20 preschoolers—thus restricting the scope of research projects and the number of students who can be trained.
The Goal
Our goal is to accommodate our instructional and research missions, while creating an environment to expand our model child development program so it serves a community in need. The mayor of Columbus, Michael Coleman, and the Superintendent of Columbus Schools, Gene Harris, have joined the College in our planning effort and have committed to a collaborative approach at a shared site. While we know this project will have a significant impact on the children and families in Weinland Park, we believe its impact will be felt around the world through ground breaking research and models of "best practices" developed at Ohio State.
Fund Raising Goal
Building Goal:
$5,000,000
Cash and Pledges to Date (2-4-04):
$3,500,000
Giving to Ohio State is making an investment in the future. Every gift makes an impact on future generations.
Groundbreaking on the Early Childhood Development Center in Weinland Park took place in May 20, 2005, with the opening planned for Summer 2007.
Named Gift Opportunities Are Available For...
| Named Gift Opportunity | Donation |
|---|---|
| Building Name (Sold) | $ 2,500,000.00 |
| Town Square (Sold) | $ 1,000,000.00 |
| Indoor Nature Courtyard | $ 1,000,000.00 |
| Library (Sold) | $ 1,000,000.00 |
| Playground | $ 500,000.00 |
| Children's Dining Room (Sold) | $ 250,000.00 |
| Faculty Research Area | $ 250,000.00 |
| Creative Arts Studio | $ 100,000.00 |
| Outside Dining Courtyard | $ 100,000.00 |
| Rooftop Playground/Classroom (Sold) | $ 100,000.00 |
| Observation Gallery | $ 75,000.00 |
| Administration | $ 75,000.00 |
| Wellness Suite | $ 50,000.00 |
| Classroom (7) | $ 50,000.00 |
| Conference Room (3) | $ 50,000.00 |
| Infant/Toddler Indoor Motor Area (Sold) | $ 25,000.00 |
| Preschool Indoor Motor Area (Sold) | $ 25,000.00 |
| Family Advocacy Office (Sold) | $ 25,000.00 |
| Side Courtyard (7) (2 sold) | $ 25,000.00 |
| Educational Coordinator's Office (3) (1 sold) | $ 15,000.00 |
| Documentation Room (Sold) | $ 15,000.00 |
| Teacher Office Spaces (7) | $ 15,000.00 |
| Child's Cubbie (88) (2 Sold) | $ 5,000.00 |
To discuss various ways to give and the many advantages of giving, please contact:
Tracy Bleichrodt
Director of Development
The Ohio State University
College of Education and Human Ecology
143 Arps Hall
1945 N. High Street
Columbus, OH 43210-1172
Email: tbleichrodt@ehe.osu.edu
Phone: (614) 292-5538
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