ABERDEEN, S.D. ¡ª Northern State University is proud to announce the opening of a dedicated classroom at the newly expanded YMCA Glenna and Rodney Fouberg Youth Development Center (YDC) in Aberdeen. This initiative is a significant step in Northern State University¡¯s commitment to enhancing early childhood education and addressing workforce demands in the region.

The YMCA Youth Development Center recently completed a $5.1 million expansion, adding space for 145 additional children and making it one of the largest childcare facilities in South Dakota. As part of this project, the YDC established the Northern State University classroom, providing a real-world setting for students to apply their knowledge and develop skills in early childhood education. "The partnership between Northern State University and the YDC demonstrates a strong commitment to hands-on training and community collaboration and will benefit our students, the YDC, and children in our community," said Dr. Nicole Schutter, chair of Teacher Education in the Millicent Atkins School of Education.

The new classroom will serve as a training ground for NSU students and enhance the YDC's ability to hire highly qualified early learning educators. "The YDC employs a dedicated team of over 80 teachers, assistants, and staff members, all committed to educating every child who enters our doors," said Mike Quast, chief executive officer for the Aberdeen Family YMCA. "Northern State University¡¯s associate degree in early childhood education offers an invaluable pathway for our team to further their education and credentials. We are excited to welcome Northern State University students into the YDC¡¯s Northern classroom, where they will interact with our staff and children. This collaboration allows us to support each child's journey toward reaching their full potential."

Northern State University has secured 15 full scholarships for students pursuing an associate degree in early childhood education, thanks to support from the South Dakota Department of Labor. The program, which welcomes 10 new students this fall, is part of Northern State University¡¯s broader effort to grow its early childhood education program and meet the increasing demand for qualified early childhood educators.

In addition to classroom training, Northern State University is developing an apprenticeship program to further support student learning and professional development in early childhood education. This initiative is part of the university's strategic priorities to build sustainable collaborative public/private partnerships and to integrate experiential learning in all academic programs.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the YDC expansion took place on Tuesday, Aug. 6, and was celebrated in the Northern State University classroom. Leaders in the community, donors, NSU faculty, and teachers, staff, and children from the YMCA and YDC gathered to celebrate the building expansion and the collaboration.