21 KinderCare alumni will each receive a $5K scholarship to pursue or continue a college education

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—KinderCare Learning Companies®, a leading provider of early childhood education and child care, today announced the 2023 KinderCare Kids Scholarship recipients, each receiving a $5K scholarship to pursue or continue their college education at an accredited two- or four-year university. 

“At KinderCare, we give children confidence for life. Our scholarship program continues the investment we made in these students as young children and will help further support them as they earn a degree in higher education,” said Paul Thompson, President of KinderCare Learning Companies. “Every day in programs across the country, we support young children as they start their academic journey. It’s an honor to recognize some of the hundreds of thousands of KinderCare children we’ve nurtured over the past half a century as they pursue their next chapter."

The 21 2023 KinderCare Kids Scholarship Fund recipients included 11 first-time winners and 10 students who have received the award before. 

• Christian Bryant-Vonheeder of Hillsboro, Ore., Oregon State University
• Brooklyn Cessna of Beaverton, Ore., University of Southern California
• Sophya Childress of Corvallis, Ore., Portland State University
• Corbin Frias of Beaverton, Ore., Oregon State University
• Sarah Jaquay-Bulava of Crystal Lake, Ill., University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Evan Judd of Broomfield, Colo., Colorado State University
• April Kelly of Edgewater Park, N.J., California State University, Northridge
• Anh Khan of Clackamas, Ore., University of Portland
• Shane Kreger of Eugene, Ore., University of Oregon
• Spencer Krussman of Hillsboro, Ore., Pacific University
• Dylan Kubek of Oswego, Ill., Saint Louis University
• Christian La Jeuness of St. Louis, Mo., Saint Louis University
• Andrew Langpap of Corvallis, Ore., Savannah College of Art & Design
• Katelyn Livermore of Tualatin, Ore., Oregon State University
• Cory Marleau of Portland, Ore., University of Portland
• Haile Miller of Tualatin, Ore., University of Oregon
• Tristan Nicolson of Eugene, Ore., Oregon State University
• Nitham Selvanathan of Portland, Ore., University of California, Davis
• Rachel Sherman of Eugene, Ore., University of Oregon
• Lydia Wainwright of Ridgefield, Wash., George Fox University
• Whitney Warth of Gresham, Ore., Oregon Health & Science University

Since establishing the fund in 2019 to commemorate KinderCare’s 50th birthday, KinderCare has awarded nearly 100 scholarships. 
 
Applications for the 2024-2025 school year will open in November. Former recipients are encouraged to re-apply, as the program is renewable. Eligible applicants must be enrolled for the 2024-2025 school year in an accredited two- or four-year college. Scholarship recipients will be notified in June 2024. To learn more, visit KinderCare.com. 

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About KinderCare Learning Companies®

A leading provider early childhood and school-age education and care, KinderCare builds confidence for life in children and families from all backgrounds. KinderCare supports hardworking families in 40 states and the District of Columbia with differentiated flexible child care solutions to meet today’s dynamic work environment:

• In neighborhoods, with KinderCare® Learning Centers that offer early learning programs for children six weeks to 12 years old and with Crème de la Crème®, which offers a premium early education model using a variety of themed classrooms;
• For work, wherever employees work, offering customized employer-supported child care benefits at more locations than any other provider, and
• In local schools, with Champions® before and after-school programs.

KinderCare programs meet the highest standards, validated by independent, third-party evaluation including:

• Gallup, measuring workforce engagement,
• National Association for the Education of Young Children, ensuring individual early learning center quality,
• Cognia, accreditation for before- and after-school programs
• BRIGANCE® and TerraNova® assessments of children’s academic progress and achievement, and
• WELL Health-Safety Rating™, validating health and safety practices in our facilities.

Headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon, KinderCare operates more than 2,000 early learning centers and sites. In 2023, KinderCare earned its seventh Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award – one of only four organizations worldwide to achieve this milestone for six consecutive years. To learn more, visit KC-Learning.com.