In a gesture to mark the 20th anniversary of PNC Grow Up Great, a trio of musicians from Inside the Orchestra gave a special performance for preschool children at Clayton Early Learning. PNC Grow Up Great helps prepare children from birth through age 5 for success in school and life by supporting programs, resources, and experiences that plant the seeds for a lifetime of opportunities.
Music plays an important role in children’s early educational needs as a means of self-expression, the development of language and math skills, motor and movement development, and social-emotional and cultural awareness. Yet children living in low-income communities have disproportionately fewer opportunities for exposure to music than their higher-income peers. PNC’s Grow Up Great is providing the funding to bring immersive, enriching experiences to Clayton children, planting early seeds for a lifetime of learning.
“PNC Grow Up Great is built on the knowledge that high-quality education is a powerful means for social and economic mobility,” said Ryan Beiser, regional president for PNC in Colorado. “As we celebrate 20 years of this work, PNC is thrilled to provide grants focused on supporting outdoor play and learning areas, which research shows offer broad developmental benefits for young children.”
The PNC Foundation recently announced a $160,000 grant to Clayton Early Learning to enhance sensory learning opportunities, including hands-on exposure to music and newly designed sensory garden areas adjacent to the Educare Denver school at Clayton. The grant will allow Clayton Early Learning to enhance its early childhood education and family support services with experiences that promote curiosity, exploration, and problem-solving. When children receive a strong start with high-quality early education, including enriching experiences like music and opportunities for nature-based outdoor learning, they develop increased academic and social-emotional skills that prepare them for school and a healthy, well-balanced life.
“This transformative musical experience is just one example of PNC’s extraordinary support for our children, and we are profoundly grateful for their partnership,” said William Browning, CEO at Clayton Early Learning. “Early exposure to music and the arts opens a world of possibilities and empowers children to dream beyond their circumstances. That’s the essence of what Clayton is all about.”
Clayton Early Learning serves 500 of Denver’s low-income children from birth to age 5, with a powerful combination of high-quality early education and wrap-around support that builds strong families. Its campus is an interactive community that promotes physical and mental health, nutrition and food justice, stable and safe housing, employment support, and more, all with a laser focus on equity. Clayton is an ecosystem of love that activates the potential in every child with safety, security, hope, and trust, creating bold generational strength that will ripple across Colorado and the nation.
