Celebrating 25 Years
'So Much Has Happened,' Says Highfield

In 1983, the current JCC building opened at 1125 College Ave. In celebration of this 25th anniversary, CenterScene will be featuring staff and members, and their recollections of the old and new buildings. This month, Early Childhood Educator Carol Highfield is highlighted.

Carol Highfield's association with the Early Childhood Services at the JCC began when her two children were small. "I volunteered quite a bit when they were in preschool - especially on days they went swimming in the old JCC indoor pool. The walls of the pool were high and the little ones couldn't quite touch bottom. It frightened them, so I used to come and help the teachers during swim time," she said.

That early association led to her full-time position as a teacher in the JCC East Preschool. Having been a staff member for nearly 29 years, Highfield said she remembers quite a bit about the old JCC building.

"There is so much that has happened during that period of time," she said. "I remember when they built the new building...the old one was located where the front parking lot is now. The little turtle and camel the children now climb on were part of the old building's playground set."

Highfield said she also recalls a time when the JCC had a bowling alley in the lower level. "The old building had a bowling alley that had about 12 lanes. And when things were really quiet down there, we would take the preschoolers down there and let them throw the balls down the alley," she said.

Over the past 25 years, the JCC has continually grown to meet the community's needs, said Highfield. "The preschool keeps getting larger and changes to meet the needs. Even when the new building was built, we didn't have infant care, and when we did start offering the program, the infant rooms were located in the lower level."

Highfield said the best part of her job is "making a difference in the lives of children and their families."

"The best part of being someplace for this long, and working in the field that I do, is that occassionally, you will have parents or former students themselves come back for a visit," she said. "I recently was at a conference, when a woman came up to me to thank me. She said her grown daughter now is in pre-med, and she thanked me for giving her the best start possible in life.

"That's what makes my job all worthwhile," said Highfield.