- When the new Hilltop Child Development Center on the eastern
slope of Daisy Hill opens its doors this summer, director Pat
Pisani wants the whole university to step inside.
"This center is one part of the university," she said.
"It's the perfect place to bring people from every part
of the university together to help our little people."
Pisani envisions students and faculty from the school of fine
arts providing "beautiful things to have in the center"
- banners, fabric hangings, artwork and murals in keeping with
the center's theme emphasizing Kansas nature and environment.
The center's décor will favor natural materials and colors
over the more traditional preschool look, so many contemporary
works will fit right in, Pisani said.
"Once the center is completed, we would like to open display
areas for student work," she added. "The students would
be encouraged to come in and explain their work to the children."
Beyond artwork, Pisani sees partnership possibilities for students
in engineering and biological sciences.
"We're hoping to have a weather station, and we'd love to
have a working windmill," she said. "Because we're
going to be using native Kansas plants to develop our landscaping
plan, there will be many opportunities for students to help."
KU's Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic already has approached Hilltop
about providing help to screen children there.
Hilltop has been "teaching little Jayhawks" since 1972,
Pisani said, in addition to providing KU students with employment
and hands-on learning opportunities. Located just down the hill
from the Visitor Center, the new Hilltop hopes to redefine its
connection to the university.
"A much broader audience will be able to view what we're
doing here," Pisani said. "We want this to be a showcase
for student involvement."
Pisani plans to contact various departments for help, but she
hopes volunteers will come forward with projects that can be
completed in the spring or summer semesters before the new center's
July 1 move-in date.
"We have a vision for what this center is to be: a wonderful,
interactive experience for the departments and our children and
families," Pisani said. "Anything the big Jayhawks
can do to teach the little Jayhawks could make ours a unique
child care center in the country."
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