Working Towards a Brighter Future
A Bit About Us
Vision
Buena Vista Children’s Services fosters innovative programs and leadership
to enhance the quality of life for children in Northern Arizona.
Mission
Buena Vista Children’s Services is a community based, grassroots, nonprofit organization that
designs, develops, and implements model programs for children, parents and educators.
Programs address emerging needs in the areas of child care, education, parenting, child abuse prevention, resource and referral.
History of Buena Vista Children’s Services:
Buena Vista Children’s Services was established in May of 1997 as a sole proprietorship to address the growing child care needs in Yavapai County. For the first two years Buena Vista Children’s Services was involved in many projects in the area of child care and education. In 1999 Buena Vista Children’s Services wrote and received a grant through the Arizona Department of Economic Security to recruit study and certify child care home providers.
In 2000 Buena Vista Children’s Services submitted papers to the Internal Revenue Services to become a 501c3 nonprofit corporation. This provided additional opportunities for funding.
2001
Buena Vista Children’s Services incorporated
Buena Vista Children’s Services became the recipient of two additional state grants. One, to provide resource and referral services to families with children with special health care needs and the other to provide resources and education about child abuse prevention.
BVCS becomes Incorporated through the Arizona Corporation Commission.
2002
BVCS was awarded a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant through the Arizona Department of Education. This grant funded four school age, after school and summer programs throughout the Verde Valley.
2003
Clarkdale Discovery Connection opens in Clarkdale, in collaboration with the Clarkdale/Jerome School District. The Afterschool Program is housed in the Historic “Soccer Building” built by the Job Corps in 1926 for Mingus Union High School.
2004
BVCS begins Preschool Programming at Dr. Daniel Bright Elementary School in Cottonwood in connection with Discovery Connection Afterschool and Summer Program.
2005
Bright Futures Child Care opens. Bright Futures is Buena Vista’s first corporate sponsored child care in collaboration with Verde Valley Medical Center offering exclusive child care for VVMC employees.
2006
Bright Futures opens to the public providing discounted child care for VVMC employees.
2008
Discovery Connection in Clarkdale opens a BVCS Preschool offering special needs preschool and aligning curriculum with Clarkdale Jerome School.
2009
Arizona Department of Economic Security awards BVCS the HRSS Grant to recruit, study and certify child care home providers in Navajo and Apache Counties.
Monthly Early Childhood Education trainings are offered for free by BVCS as an extension to the collaborative annual “Arizona on the Move” ECE Conference hosted at Yavapai College. Trainings meet needs of Early Childhood Educators whose training hours were increased to meet licensing requirements as per Arizona Department of Health Services.
2010
BVCS agrees with Cottonwood Oak Creek School District to provide Kindergarten Extension programming to meet emerging need during kindergarten funding crisis.
BVCS enters agreement with Yavapai College to allow nursing students to observe and participate in Early Childhood Education classrooms at Bright Futures and Clarkdale Discovery to supplement students’ hands on/ work experience for early childhood development.
BVCS invites community members and early childhood educators to utilize Buena Vista’s free lending library.
BVCS designs and implements Buena Vista Preschool Curriculum aligned with Arizona Early Learning Standards.
2011
Community Counts contracts BVCS to provide free Parenting Education classes throughout the Verde Valley and Sedona through a grant awarded by First Things First.
2013
BVCS celebrates its 20th Annual Children’s Celebration, a free community event for families and children highlighting collaborations to raise awareness for Child Abuse Prevention. The City Council of Cottonwood awarded a proclamation to honor the 20th anniversary and Mayor Joens attended the event, making opening comments.
2014
BVCS Celebrates 20 Years of the Arizona On The Move Early Childhood Education Conference hosted by and in partnership with Yavapai College. 300 attendees enjoyed the newly remodeled YC Campus in 2014.
2015
BVCS creates its signature “Professional Development” Program with a second Occupational/ Vocational Grant from DES for Child Care trainings in District III, including Yavapai, Navajo, Apache and Coconino Counties.
2016
Is awarded HRSS Grants to recruit study, and certify child care home providers in Apache, Coconino, Gila, Navajo, and Yavapai Counties.