This certificate is designed for Edgecombe County High School students only as part of the Career and College Promise (CCP) program and through the partnership between Edgecombe Community College (ECC) and Edgecombe County Public Schools (ECPS) and North East Carolina Preparatory school (NECP). Through CCP, qualified high-school-age students in North Carolina have the opportunity to pursue these options, tuition-free, while they are in high school, allowing them to get a jumpstart on their workplace and college preparation. For further information on ECC’s commitment to helping high school students reach their educational goals, please contact Shawn Dawes, High School Liaison via email at dawess@edgecombe.edu or by phone at (252) 618-6546.

The Early Childhood Education curriculum prepares individuals to work with children from birth through eight in diverse learning environments. Students will combine learned theories with practice in actual settings with young children under the supervision of qualified teachers.

Coursework includes child growth and development; physical/nutritional needs of children; care and guidance of children; and communication skills with families and children. Students will foster the cognitive/language, physical/motor, social/emotional, and creative development of young children.

Graduates are prepared to plan and implement developmentally appropriate programs in early childhood settings. Employment opportunities include child development and child care programs, preschools, public and private schools, recreational centers, Head Start Programs, and school-age programs.

A program that prepares individuals to promote child development and learning, work with diverse families and children, observe, document, and assess to support young children and families, use content knowledge to build meaningful curriculum, and use developmentally effective approaches in collaboration with other early childhood professionals. Potential course work includes instruction in all areas of child development such as emotional/social/health/physical/language/communication, approaches to play and learning, working with diverse families, and related observations/student teaching experiences.