Accreditation by the NAEYC is awarded to early childhood education programs that demonstrate excellence in teaching, relationship-building, curriculum, health, safety and other areas.聽

Located on Belknap Campus, ELC is for children 6 weeks to 5 years of age and provides child development services for UofL faculty, staff and students, as well as residents of the nearby Family Scholar House and the Old Louisville neighborhood.聽Every weekday, the little ones come through the doors and are transformed into Turtles, Rainbow Fish, Sweet Peas, Travelers, Jazzy Jungles or Tadpoles.聽Their days are filled with friends and toys, games and healthy snacks, naps and outside playtime.聽

鈥淓arly childhood education and experiences have tremendous impact on children鈥檚 future academic success, with studies showing effects well into high school,鈥� said Jill Jacobi-Vessels, director of ELC. 鈥淭he ELC engaged in the rigorous NAEYC accreditation process because we strongly believe that our profession is critical to the well-being of families and communities. We want to ensure that we offer our children the highest possible quality.鈥�

Jacobi-Vessels noted that ELC hosts frequent visits for area centers and schools looking for ways to enhance their own programs.聽ELC also serves as a classroom for UofL early childhood education students.

鈥淣AEYC鈥檚 accreditation criteria formed a useful framework for reflecting on our program鈥檚 strengths and areas for growth,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ur team successfully engaged in a yearlong self-study to review our policies and practices and compile deep evidence to document how we meet the NAEYC standards. We are thrilled that we achieved re-accreditation with exceptionally high scores and are grateful for UofL鈥檚 ongoing commitment to the ELC and our littlest Cardinals.鈥�

ELC celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. It uses the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education, focusing on child-led, play-based learning.聽

鈥淥h you are so smart,鈥� she cooed as they found the letter again on their own and scooped them into a hug.聽

With the strum of a guitar, they pulled Bloch to her feet for a dance.

Residents of Sunrise Senior Living have been visiting the Early Learning Campus for a unique, 12-week intergenerational music therapy study.

Board-certified music therapists from UofL鈥檚 Music Therapy program lead the children and seniors聽— many of whom have memory cognition disorders like Alzheimer鈥檚 and dementia — through storybook songs, instrument play and movements that are meant to boost learning, interactions and physical activity.聽

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to bring some self-worth and sense of usefulness back into these adults lives, as well as improve their physical functioning, while simultaneously helping children learn to read and improve literacy skills,鈥� said Michael Detmer, professor, music therapist and the study鈥檚 lead researcher.聽

Detmer and co-investigator, Dr. Petra Kern, composed much of the music used in the study. Upbeat, silly songs like 鈥渃heck out my moves, I鈥檓 dancing with my scarves,鈥� get the children and seniors moving, smiling and learning all at the same time.

鈥淢usic ignites them. It energizes them. It gives some structure to the interaction that wouldn鈥檛 happen otherwise,鈥� Detmer said.

Books are introduced, too, and the seniors help the children learn to recognize letters and sounds.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e taking the role of a leader, which you don鈥檛 see much anymore in their facility because they鈥檙e always being cared for, so in that moment they turn into the caregiver,鈥� Detmer said.

The program also allows children the opportunity to spend time with older adults, which is especially meaningful for those who may not have grandparents living nearby.

The study is a collaboration between faculty in the UofL School of Music, Department of Early Childhood and Elementary 成人直播 and Department of Health and Sports Sciences. It was sponsored, in part, by the UofL Get Healthy Now Wellness Program.聽

It鈥檚 the first intergenerational music therapy study to measure variables such as interaction, physical function, literacy and self-esteem, said Detmer and Kern.

鈥淚 hope we can demonstrate this type of program facilitates a really positive and meaningful interaction between the young and the old, particularly older people with dementia who might not have an opportunity like this otherwise,鈥� Detmer said.

Preliminary results will be presented in June at UofL鈥檚 Optimal Aging Conference and in July at the 15^th World Congress of Music Therapy in Tsukuba, Japan.

But seniors like Bloch already have their own conclusions about the effects of spending afternoons with children and music.

鈥淥h it makes you feel good,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love the little kids, I鈥檓 anxious to see how they grow.鈥�

Another participant wholeheartedly agreed.

鈥淚 enjoy it a whole lot,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 just love the children and how they smile, smile and smile.鈥�

to see more photos from the program.