Angela Huggins, a Coastal Carolina University alumna, North Myrtle Beach native and experienced early childhood education professional of 26 years, has joined the CCU faculty as the director of the Early Childhood Development and Literacy Center.

"I couldn't think of anything that I'd rather do," Huggins said, calling it her "dream job." "It's a perfect balance of working with young children and helping pre-service teachers and others in the community learn more about how children learn."

The center is set to open on CCU's campus in August, and Huggins is currently hiring teachers and handling paperwork in preparation. When the school year begins, she will also teach as the center picks up steam.

The center will provide project-based learning that focuses on children's developmental stages and their interests in order to create an individualized curriculum, plus plenty of indoor and outdoor playtime.

Up to 120 children between the ages of 3 and 5 will be accepted into the center, and there are enrollment options for the school day, for after school, or for the full day. Applications are available here.

The center is located inside CCU's Kingston Hall, and it will include five literacy rooms, four classrooms and an outdoor playground. In addition to Huggins, four full-time instructors will be hired for the classrooms. The center also provides opportunities for CCU elementary and early childhood education majors to get hands-on, clinical experiences working with children.

Edward Jadallah, dean of CCU's College of Education, says child development is closely connected to literacy education, and the establishment of a center that serves both these areas benefits the community.

Huggins began her experience in early childhood education as a kindergarten teacher at North Myrtle Beach Primary. She later served as principal at Britton's Neck Elementary School in Marion County and at Pee Dee Elementary.

"I understand the district expectations in Horry County, and I understand the expectations in Marion County because I've experienced those as well," she said.

Huggins enjoys helping young children and the pre-service teachers in the College of Education program equally, which is why she believes directing the new center is the perfect job for her. Huggins will coordinate with other University departments, such as music and art, to give students hands-on experience working with children through internships. While CCU students will benefit from the interactions, Huggins said the children in the center will also gain enriching experiences that they would not have at a typical day care.

"Some of our [pre-service teaching] students plan to stay local, and some will go to other places, but the focus is always on making sure our students understand how young children learn best and are prepared for work after they leave us," she said.

Huggins earned bachelor's and master's degrees in early childhood education from CCU. She earned a second master's degree in educational leadership and supervision from the University of South Carolina and a doctorate in educational leadership from Capella University.

For more information about the Childhood Development and Literacy Center, visit coastal.edu/childdevelopmentcenter.

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