Today we’d like to introduce you to Ana.
Hi Ana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In January of 2015, I started Primer Academia de ABC Spanish Immersion Program, with two children enrolled in the program. Each week, more and more families signed up, and by 2018, I had a waiting list of more than 30 families. Since then, Primer Academia has grown each week, serving kids ages 6 weeks through 5 years old, and we still have a waiting list. More than 1,000 children have attended Primer Academia de ABC in the 11 years since its founding.
My dream of opening a Spanish Immersion Preschool began in 2008, and with more than 25 years of experience working in Children’s Ministry and my belief that founding this school is my calling, I am committed and ready to grow Primer Academia de ABC to meet the needs of children and families in Middle Tennessee.
Primer Academia de ABC exists to provide an early childhood program that allows each child to grow and develop as Jesus did “in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). We also provide a safe, high-quality developmental environment and Spanish language program. This is a stimulating early child care and educational experience which promotes each child’s social, emotional, spiritual, physical and cognitive development. Their objective is to support children to be life-long learners through a cooperative partnership between parents and staff.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Since Primer Academia opened, my dream has been to find a permanent location to call home, but many places have either been too expensive or need too much work. Then, in the spring of 2022, the opportunity arose for Primer Academia to purchase their current location – Faith Christian Reformed Church, in Nippers Corner in South Nashville.
Currently, I have been given 2 years to raise the $600,000 needed to purchase the property on Old Hickory Boulevard. Additionally, we will renovate the existing facility and add to the building to fully house a Preschool. & Kindergarten Spanish Immersion.
As it stands currently, the facilities require a fair amount of renovations in order for Primer Academia to pass inspection and operate a full-time Spanish Immersion Preschool & Kindergarten. Plans have been submitted and approved by the State Fire Marshall.
The ultimate goal is to renovate the existing facility and then build a new building adjacent to the current facility, which will provide space for a state-of-the-art Spanish Immersion full-time Preschool & Kindergarten.
Raising the funds has been quite challenging, but I keep moving forward with the dream I have in my heart.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Primer Academia is Nashville’s Spanish Immersion Preschool. We fill an important role in the childcare ecosystem. Studies show that when a second language is learned at an early age, children have increased levels of creativity, ability to solve problems, vocabulary, and stronger mathematical skills. Overall, learning a second language from infancy improves brain function. It also instills an innate appreciation for different cultures and a positive response towards the target language’s culture. Primer Academia is also an opportunity for heritage speakers to learn Spanish from birth outside of the home and be immersed in a world of Spanish language and culture.
Primer Academica has both native English and Spanish-speaking students in each classroom. One hundred percent of our teachers are native Spanish speakers who are fully bilingual, and 20% of our families speak Spanish at home. Forty-five percent of foreign-born Nashvillians have their origins in Latin America, and it makes sense that there would be childcare opportunities that appeal directly to their needs. People who identify as Hispanic make up ten percent of Davidson County’s population currently, and that rate is increasing daily.
With the lack of quality childcare available in Tennessee, Primer Academia is an essential community resource, and investing in their growth and ability to serve more families is of the utmost importance. In 2019, 70% of Nashville parents said that their biggest childcare challenge was finding access to childcare opportunities. Parents wait months, and even years in some cases for child care spots to become available in Davidson County. What is more, almost half of all people in Tennessee “live in a child care desert — a census tract where there are more than 3 times as many children as licensed child care slots.” This is exacerbated by the lack of new childcare providers in contrast to the increasing number of children. Population growth is outpacing the number of childcare slots in an already overwhelmed system.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Kids’ literacy is my favorite—podcasts and books about business and personal growth.
Pricing:
- Monthly Tuition 2 days a week for kids 2 years old & up: $425
- Monthly Tuition 2 days a week for Infants: $475
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.buildprimeracademia.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/primeracademiadeabc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/primeracademiadeabc
