Storyteller Children's Center | |
35 Years of Strengthening Families | |
Storyteller Children’s Center is a therapeutic preschool providing high-quality early childhood education for children facing adverse challenges in Santa Barbara County and comprehensive support services for their families. | |
Staff Spotlight: Meet Our Program Director | | |
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Jacqueline Ryan, M.A. has been the Program Director at Storyteller for two years. She is also pursuing her Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Administration from the University of Massachusetts Global. With her extensive knowledge of trauma-informed care and passion for Early Childhood Education, Jacqueline has played a crucial role in the tremendous growth of Storyteller Children's Center.
According to Jacqueline, Storyteller's unique therapeutic approach allows teachers, staff, and collaborative partners to meet children and families where they are when they come to the program and support their individual needs. Creating a safe and supportive environment for children is crucial to their development. Through daily experiences with peers at Storyteller, they can discover themselves with a sense of belonging. This strong foundation of self-awareness and belonging is essential for building healthy and successful relationships in the future. She believes that providing children with a safe and nurturing environment is crucial to developing their resilience and ensuring a brighter future.
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Storyteller is jumping into the fall school year! We are proud to announce that we welcomed 69 children back to the classroom, including 28 at the State Street Campus, 28 at the De La Vina Campus, and 13 at Storyteller at Transition House. We are almost at capacity and currently accepting applications for our Infant/ Toddler Program at Transition House.
You’ll find this part exciting: During the 2022 - 2023 School Year, our Desired Results Development Profile, DRDP study showed that all our students were ready to enter kindergarten by age 5! The DRDP study assesses young children’s learning development based on the completion of various tasks within the classroom.
Check out our Impact Video in the link below!
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Storyteller's 35th Anniversary Gala | |
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What an AMAZING night!
On Friday, October 6, Storyteller Children's Center celebrated its 35th Anniversary Gala and honored the brilliant Tiffany Foster. The Hilton Beachfront Resort was aglow with neon lights and all the glitter and glam of the 80s. We had break dancers spinning during cocktail hour, Andrew Firestone as our high-kicking auctioneer, and a live band, The Replicas, that brought down the house with the greatest hits of the 80s!
We are truly grateful to our vendors, committee members, volunteers, and staff for their time and dedication to making this night such a success!
Thank you to everyone who came out to support our organization; you made this a night to remember! We hope to see you at our next gala in the fall of 2024!
For more information, contact our Development Director, Heather Martinez, at heather@storytellercenter.org
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A special shout out to Pedro De La Cruz for generously donating one of his beautiful paintings to our gala!
“The colors in De La Cruz’s paintings reflect the rich culture of his Mexican upbringing. He particularly delights in painting people he meets and capturing their true essence. Informed by his life story, De La Cruz is attracted to painting happy and confident people who dare to dream. His colorful protagonists are loving and optimistic figures who embody a total freedom of expression, depicted in a magical world of love that pulsates with affection, light, and joy.” -Pedro De La Cruz Biography.
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Storyteller's Fall Festival | |
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On Monday, October 16th, Storyteller Children's Center hosted a SPOOKTACULAR Fall Festival and Resource Fair. Children and families were invited to our De La Vina location for family fun games, crafts, prizes, and pizza. Executive Director Dr. Gabriella Garcia shared, "Fall Festival is one of my favorite events because we organize it, especially for our students and their families. It's an actual mission moment to watch firsthand the impact of our program, from teachers actively listening to the needs of families to engaging with the students while decorating a pumpkin. The space is filled with so much joy that you can't help but join the fun!"
Thank you to Transition House, Wilderness Youth Project, CALM, and FSA for participating in our resource fair and to NCL for generously donating pumpkins. Thank you for making this a memorable event for our families!
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In the immortal words of Lois Mahalia, "It's Christmas Once Again in Santa Barbara. There is not a snowflake to be found." It may not feel like winter, but the holidays are almost upon us, and Storyteller is gearing up for its annual holiday party!
Fulfill a child's wish this holiday season and participate in Storyteller's Holiday Gift Drive. With your help this season, you can make this a truly magical time for our families.
If you would like to donate a toy or item of clothing, please contact our Development Director, Heather Martinez, at heather@storytellercenter.org
Donation Deadline: December 15, 2023
Drop Off Location: 2115 State Street
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It's that time of year! If you haven't already mapped out your end-of-year giving, please consider Changing A Story with Storyteller Children's Center. Your donation can literally change the trajectory of a whole family.
To get involved, please contact Heather Martinez, Director of Development, at heather@storytellercenter.org.
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Giving to the Scholarship Fund (formally Sponsor a Child) can make a dramatic difference in a child's life. Your contribution will go directly to supporting the costs associated with one year of early childhood education for a family in need.
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Visit the wishlist on our website to see a list of items we need for our classrooms. If you feel moved to donate or purchase any of the items listed, please call to confirm prior to purchase or drop off.
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Monthly donations help support our programs, general operations, or facility maintenance.
A little each month can go a long way. OR if your workplace offers a matching program, we can help you get started.
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Make a positive impact in the most important years of a child's life and help shape their future. | |
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Number of Meals Served
per Year
| We serve breakfast, lunch, and a healthy snack daily to ensure children receive the nutrition they need for their growing minds and bodies. | |
Number of Annual Child Assessments | All students are assessed by their teachers to determine where they are in their individual development process. Teachers then tailor their practice to each child. | |
Number of Hours of Behavioral Health Intervention | Our behavioral health care services provide access to bilingual, therapeutic professionals who support families at home and at our two preschool sites. | |
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Storyteller at State Street
2115 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
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Storyteller at De La Vina
2121 De La Vina
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
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Storyteller at Transition House
425 E. Cota Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
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