Written by Shlomit Ovadia of JCC Denver
There are few things more terrifying than bringing a new human into the world, let alone after losing one. Parent and educator Megan Meyers wrote to the Early Learning School (ELS) about her hesitancies with sending her son, Julian, to ELS, and the transformation that ensued.
“One of the lingering ‘gifts’ of losing our oldest son when he was a baby, is that I am completely neurotic and overprotective of our living children. I knew through our second child Simon’s time at Camp Shai how incredible the JCC community is, led by such loving, wonderful people, that aside from our former nanny, I wouldn’t trust anyone with Julian besides the JCC,” she writes.
As a literacy teacher working at Graland, Megan first learned about the JCC ELS through Graland’s partnership with Camp Shai. She has a vivid memory of her second son, Simon coming home from Camp Shai “covered in 50 million stickers,” after he had been named mensch of the week. “I’ve never seen him happier than when he was there.”
Courtney Jacobson, the JCC General Manager of Camps and Early Learning School
“I thought, ‘if Courtney (Jacobson, the JCC General Manager of Camps and Early Learning School) could put on such an incredible camp, and is at the helm of the ELS, it’s gotta be amazing.’”
After the family’s situation changed with the birth of Julian and Megan’s return to work, the Meyers needed to find daycare for their youngest son. Unfortunately, they were crestfallen to learn that ELS was full for the year and waitlisted. So, the parents begrudgingly registered Julian at another day school, where he was not doing well. “Every day of that first week, it became harder for me to bring him there.”
Then, just a few days later, former ELS Admissions and Communications Specialist, Lauren Steele, called them to announce another family had given up their spot, and along with it, a scholarship. “Like Julian, it was a true miracle! I can’t express my thanks enough,” writes Megan.
After meeting Julian’s teachers and longtime JCC employees, Isme and Fernanda, at the school year kick-off, Megan was almost moved to tears. “I immediately felt a sense of relief and warmth.” Along with fellow teachers Evelyn and Rose, she says the ladies are all “wonderful, loving women and the JCC is lucky to have them… I will forever be grateful for them.”
“I get choked up thinking about my time there,” she says in between slight pauses, “because it’s a really special place where little children are celebrated and loved, and their innocence is preserved.”
Having been raised Catholic, Megan reflects on how grateful she is to have had exposure to Jewish values and traditions. “I have never felt more ‘called to God’ than through my experiences at the JCC and interactions with the community there,” her letter says.
“Shabbat Sing was a particularly joyful and happy time. I loved that they wheeled little babies out and included and honored them as part of the community,” Megan shares during our conversation. “And every day when you walked into the classroom, [the teachers] had new activities out for them— such clever things I could never think of.”
Of ELS’ Jewish culture, Megan recalls how the ELS hallways displayed pictures and things that spoke to the different Jewish lenses they taught through. “I really didn’t know much about it prior. I was very impressed by my time there.” She adds, “You are all walking the walk of loving one another and being such inclusive, good humans.”
