At right are (left to right) Interim Chancellor Dr. Don Q. Griffin, Trustee Milton Marks, Board Vice President Dr. Natalie Berg, Board President Lawrence Wong Natalie Orfalea who with her husband Paul (not pictured) are providing operational funding for the Center, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Commissioner Hydra Mendoza Trustee John Rizzo and Trustee Rodel E. Rodis. ALEX LUTHI / GUARDSMAN

By Natalie Coreas
Staff Writer

Despite rainy weather, City College’s grand opening for the Ocean campus’ Orfalea Family Center was held on Oct. 30, following a change of venue to the Diego Rivera Theatre.

“I believe that most people in need of a preschool are on the city level. This is a typical environment these children would not get. All major studies indicate that from birth through age five are the most important years in a child’s life. We wanted to provide that access here to those children at City College,” said Natalie Orfalea of the Orfalea Family Foundations, which made a total of $8 million in donations over the past 7 years to the college. The donations are used to support the center’s operational budget, according to the Nov. 3, 2008 issue of City Currents.

About a hundred friends, faculty, students and children holding multi-colored balloons were in the audience as board of trustees president Lawrence Wong began the inauguration of the new center, looking to the audience and saying, “we are planting seeds for us to grow here. This quality childcare center continues to be the largest and most comprehensive childcare training center in San Francisco, enrolling an average of 4000 City College students yearly and training 75 percent of the childcare providers in San Francisco.”

The new center, which opened in the Spring of 2008, provides toddlers and preschool children with learning areas include a 7000 square foot outdoor play area, arts and crafts, a dramatic play area, a block area, a reading area with books of all kinds such as “Say Hola to Spanish,” “Let’s Count” and “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”. All areas are “sensory based learning environments that encourage developing small and gross motor skills,” according to City College’s fact sheet for the center.

Special guests like Congresswoman Jackie Speier, City College’s Senior Project Manager for the center Demetri Gonzalez and District 11 Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval were present as the mayor’s education advisor Hydra Mendoza presented a certificate of honor on behalf of Mayor Gavin Newsom to the Orfalea foundation for their generosity. Speier’s speech included a brief history of the Orfalea family and the start of Kinko’s, a company that offered copy services and office supplies and was originally founded by Paul Orfalea to benefit college students with products and services they needed at a more affordable price.

“We will be forever be in the deepest gratitude for the level of support they provided for us,” said Kathleen White, the department chair of the Child Development and Family studies department, thanking the Orfalea Foundation.

After conclusion of the ceremony in the Diego Rivera Theatre, lion dancers along with drummers from Leung’s White Crane Lion and Dragon Association lead the way to the front of the new center for the ribbon cutting for the center. Afterward, guests made their way through exploring the new center.

Also, a new baby room and lactating room, were unveiled at the opening. The lactating room, titled “Effie’s Room” after Effie Kuriloff, an early teacher who taught non credit courses at early San Francisco Community College Child Development / Family Studies Department from 1977 to 2004.

“The new center has made a big difference in the developmental needs for families trying to raise kids with healthy and strong minds,” said Interim Chancellor Dr. Don Q. Griffin.

Each of the buildings in the center have “green” living rooftops, built to make the buildings more sustainable.

The center includes children-size toilets and hand washing areas. In addition to the children areas, there are also separate observation rooms which allow child development and family studies students and teachers to view the children interacting without disrupting the learning environment.

“I feel really comfortable leaving my son in the morning. He adapted very well to the program. It is up to him what he chooses to do: there are table activities, water activities, and painting. I don’t think the location matters. It’s not the structure, it’s the people that work there that make it a great environment,” said Brenda Wemiz, parent of a 4-year-old child.