Campus Scene
Nurturing Futures: Child Development Lab
- For 56 years, the Child Development Lab, as a part of the Child Development Department, has been a special environment designed to provide a model preschool for children, create a learning center for University students and faculty, support and educate parents of young children, and serve as a research and instructional center at Cal Poly Humboldt.
- The first and longest nationally accredited preschool program in Humboldt County, the Child Development Lab was founded in 1968 by School of Home Economics Professor Emilla Tschant.
- The Child Development Lab provides a sliding-scale tuition program for families who may need financial assistance. Each year, families receive support with their children's tuition, aiming to enhance program diversity and support local communities. This is made possible through a trust fund in memory of Emilla Tschanz.
- An important feature of the Child Development Lab is the observation booth. In a private room overlooking the classroom, Child Development students learn the art and skill of observation. They record observations to compile anecdotes of developmental processes, using an interactive live video and audio streaming system.
- The Child Development Lab is located in the University’s Trinity Early Learning Center, which is also home to the Children’s Center, a childcare program for the University community. Open since August 2023, the Trinity Early Learning Center represents the important roles the programs play in supporting local families and future educators
- The production was literally aglow, as many special effects evoke the radioactivity that is invisible but omnipresent in the play. An unseen character, with no intention of its own, radioactivity is nevertheless altering every character’s arc.
- Production designers used glowing paint, make up, and backdrops to illustrate the story.
