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Filled with excitement about extending its services to approximately 500 families in the Caguas area, Nuestra Escuela (Our School) launched the new 2 Generations Center (2 Gen) this week, which is part of an innovative initiative from the Administration for the Comprehensive Care and Development of Children (ACUDEN).
“At Nuestra Escuela, we don’t just enroll children; we include families. This 2 Gen Center will feature a self-care space accessible to the whole community, facilitating family growth,” mentioned Ana Yris Guzmán, president and co-founder of Nuestra Escuela. “It is a project rich in detail and beauty, reflecting what Puerto Rico truly needs. Spaces designed to serve our communities can be beautiful, and this project embodies that. It serves as a sanctuary and a base to promote family development. We aspire for all they see to resonate with that nurturing essence of growth and healing for our families.”
“There’s so much to rejoice about,” she added.
The 2 Gen Centers represent a strategic initiative for early childhood development and education, expanding to involve parents or caregivers by providing synchronized services and resources across the family unit, including health instruction, nutritional advice, safety guidance, referrals, parent workshops, coordination of mental and behavioral health care, first aid, a virtual library, financial education for parents and caregivers, and support for economic sustainability.
During the inauguration ceremony, Guzmán was joined by several dignitaries: Caridad Pierluisi, executive director of the Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico, Family Secretary Ciení Rodríguez Troche, and ACUDEN Administrator Roberto Carlos Pagán, along with parents from the school community and students of Nuestra Escuelita, who were dressed in outfits representing various professions and trades.
Pierluisi remarked that “each initiative at Nuestra Escuela has been crafted with immense care, and we take great pride in supporting them.”
“The 2 Gen Centers hold a distinct significance; they focus on early childhood while also engaging parents, grandparents, uncles, and the wider community,” she stated. “We assist them with whatever they require, any educational training. These 2 Gen Centers serve as sanctuaries of tranquility.”
The ACUDEN administrator described the newly established center as “another dream realized.”
“Nuestra Escuela symbolizes dedication, passion, and a legacy of compassionate services for children and their families. The 2 Gen Centers are foundational to our efforts in enhancing services and providing support, now not just for children but also for their parents and the entire community,” Pagán expressed. “As a new father, my perspective shifts when I enter these 2 Gen Centers, confirming that it is indeed a place I would take my son.”
For the Caguas initiative, a building adjacent to Nuestra Escuela has been refurbished and equipped, set to accommodate around 500 families annually at the new center. It features play areas for children, office spaces, conference rooms, several welcoming lounges, and libraries accessible with computers for community use. The 2 Gen Center will be managed by Shanira Pabón.
“The success [of the 2 Gen Centers] arises from our decision to venture beyond traditional methods and directly engage with communities,” remarked Rodríguez Troche, the Family Secretary. “We hope these centers transform into havens where families can not only receive guidance and services but also find respite.”
The 2 Gen Centers are funded through resources from the Child Care Project.
