Local Artist Creates Commemorative Quilt for Early Learning Center

Over the past few weeks, Victory Frame Shop owner Jacky Murphey has spent hours visiting with some of the students at the Little Sprouts Early Learning Center, engaging each one in conversation and inviting them to illustrate a muslin panel for a quilt based upon their unique interests. She then embellished the children’s artwork, added extra panels to highlight numbers and letters of the alphabet, and sewed all of the pieces together to construct a one-of-a-kind quilt. The elaborate creation was presented recently to the daycare center staff and children who were delighted to see how their artwork had been incorporated into the final piece.

Murphey came up with the idea to create a special quilt after appearing as a Celebrity Reader at the Early Learning Center. “We decided to work with the 4 and 5-year-old children because they have the appropriate attention span and fine motor skills,” explains Murphey, who is an accomplished artist in addition to her work at her Lafayette shop. “I talked to each child and they knew right off the bat what they wanted. They were really good!” The individual squares completed by the students highlight their interests and include illustrations of family members, princesses, dinosaurs, cartoon characters, and vehicles. “I tried to emphasize the personalities of the children. They’re just adorable!”

The Little Sprouts Early Learning Center, which accommodates 83 youngsters from age 6 weeks to 6 years, is owned and operated by Project Self-Sufficiency of Sussex County. “We were thrilled when Jacky Murphey approached us about doing a quilt to memorialize the students’ time at Little Sprouts,” comments Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director at Project Self-Sufficiency. “Jacky has volunteered to create elaborate table designs for our annual fundraiser, A Taste of Talent, for many years and her work is always unique, thoughtful and exquisitely done. This quilt is will be treasured for many years.”

Comments

High School Diploma Program Launches in March

Enrollment for the next session of the New Jersey Youth Corps program at Project Self-Sufficiency is underway. The sixteen-week program launches in March and is currently being offered as a hybrid of virtual and in-person curricula and activities. The New Jersey Youth Corps gives those who have not completed high school the opportunity to boost their literacy skills, prepare for the high school equivalency exam, obtain on-the-job work experience, and transition into a career, college or the military. Interested participants are invited to attend virtual Open House hosted by Project Self-Sufficiency to learn more about the New Jersey Youth Corps and to complete an application. Virtual Open Houses will be held on Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m., January 19 th , 26 th , February 2 nd , 9 th , and 16th, as well as Thursdays at noon, January 21 st , 28 th , February 4 th , 11 th, and 18 th . In addition, Project Self-Sufficiency is offering a $100 gift card to t...

Little Sprouts Recognized for Excellence

The Little Sprouts Early Learning Center was recently awarded a four-star rating from Grow NJ Kids , the state-sponsored initiative to raise the quality of child care and early learning throughout New Jersey. The rating is based on a rigorous process which considers documentation, classroom environment, in-person observations, and other factors. The Little Sprouts Early Learning Center is an expansive childcare and preschool facility which offers space for 83 youngsters, ages 6 weeks to 6 years, and is operated by Project Self-Sufficiency at 127 Mill Street in Newton. Jennifer Blohm is a Technical Assistance Specialist from the Central Jersey Family Health Consortium , one of three agencies assigned to provide technical assistance and support to programs participating in Grow NJ Kids. Blohm was so impressed by the quality of the Little Sprouts Early Learning Center environment, that she decided to enroll her own child in the preschool. “...

New Jersey's First Female State Trooper Defies Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Gail Just approaches her health with the same no-nonsense attitude which made her a success in her law enforcement career. When an annual mammogram revealed that she had three tumors in one of her breasts, she immediately investigated her alternatives, selected a medical provider, and proceeded with a treatment plan. “I’m a retired state trooper and I tend to take things differently than most people,” remarked Just. “I decided we’re not going to use the word ‘scared.’” Breast cancer is often a silent disease, with virtually no symptoms, but it is often completely curable if diagnosed in its early stages. In 1980, the national five-year survival rate for women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer was about 74%; today that number is 99%. There are currently more than 4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. One out of eight women will develop breast cancer, yet about 85% of these women have no family history of the disease. A...

News from Project Self-Sufficiency

Search This Blog