2002 Stroudsburg Graduate Accomplishes Dream Week of 10-Year Class Reunion

Nov. 17, 2012 - PRLog -- EAST STROUDSBURG, PA— Leilani Prieto-Torres or Miss Lani as children call her, held a grand opening celebration for her newly opened Hopscotch Hill School House this afternoon, just days shy of her graduating class’ 10-year reunion this Friday.

Prieto-Torres, a 2002 graduate from Stroudsburg High School said that when she told her friends she finally accomplished her dream they excitedly said, “Congratulations, you have been saying you have wanted to do that since high school.”

Chasing a dream of caring for children, Prieto-Torres attended Northampton Community College, earning a degree in childhood education.  She is currently one class from earning a Director’s Certificate for Child Care.

Upon graduation she was also employed at Northampton for seven years working at the childcare center and also as a cooperative teacher and mentor through lab work at the center.

“I knew I wanted to take care of children even before graduating high school. My parents owned a childcare facility in New Jersey and I would often work there,” Prieto-Torres said.
She also used to babysit the children of state representative Rosemary Brown of the 189th District.

Brown could not attend the grand opening celebration due to a prior commitment but stopped by Hopscotch Hill yesterday to present Prieto-Torres with a certificate of recognition.

“We believe that children do their best learning through play, hands on explorations and social interaction,” Prieto-Torres said.

The center provides care for toddlers and pre-school aged children, 18 months to five years.  They also provide before and after school care for elementary aged children.

The 2178 square-foot facility is divided into two rooms separated by a hallway lined with a Hopscotch pattern, hence the name of the facility.  Behind the schoolhouse is a 2400 square-foot playground and activity center for children to use during the warmer months.

The Hopscotch Hill School House is open Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. with extended hours available upon request.

The Toddler Room will engage creativity through the following discovery areas:
•   Dress-Up & Dramatic Play
•   Art Exploration
•   Cozy Book Nook
•   Music & Movement
•   Block Play/ Puzzles / Manipulatives
•   Sensory Table
•   Outside Play & Activities

The Preschool Room:
•   Stories & Circle Time Activities
•   Large & Small Group Experiences
•   Art & Creative Expression
•    Science & Math
•   Creative & Dramatic Play
•   Music & Movement
•   Block Construction/ Puzzles / Manipulatives
•   Sensory Table (Sand & Water Investigation
•   Outside Play & Activities

Prieto-Torres said that one thing that stands out about her facility over some of the others in the area is that her staff provides parents with daily reports as to what their child engaged in throughout the day.  The parents can then help to hone those skills or interest areas while at home.

Another Northampton graduate, Kelly Okula (Miss Kelly) will teach the pre-school classes while Prieto-Torres will focus on the toddlers.

Prieto-Torres credits her father, Jose Prieto, and her husband Arthur Torres, with helping her achieve her dream.

“Everything happens for a reason,” her father said.

The timing on the school’s opening just happened to be by luck.  Prieto-Torres began the process of taking ownership of the building back in April and started renovations on June 15.

“I was working as a nanny just more than a year ago and then this opportunity came up and this week I will get to share my crowning moment with my graduating class,” she said.

Hopscotch Hill School is located at 102 Music Center Drive, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 across from the Dairy Queen and Odd-Lot on Route 209.  For more information contact Leilani Prieto-Torres at 570-872-9977 or visit hhschoolhouse.com