(Butler, PA) The kindergartner extending her tennis shoe toward Hannah Lindsay changed the 17-year-old Moniteau High School cheerleader鈥檚 life.
鈥淪he was shyly wanting me to tie her laces,鈥� Lindsay said.
Lindsay demonstrated the steps to the brown-haired girl as they sat on the floor of the district鈥檚 Dassa McKinney Elementary School gymnasium, saying, 鈥淕o over this way. Make two bunny ears.鈥�
The kindergartner repeated Lindsay鈥檚 motions.
鈥淪he looked up at me,鈥� Lindsay said, 鈥渁lmost surprised. I saw her big smile. It was so heartwarming to know something so simple could make somebody so happy. It was monumental for her to learn.鈥�
It was also monumental for Lindsay, who herself learned on that January afternoon in 2022 that she wanted to pursue a career teaching young children.
鈥淵our a-ha moment,鈥� said Annie Lindsay, an associate professor in Butler County Community College鈥檚 education and behavioral sciences division, and of no relation to the 19-year-old who expects to graduate with an associate degree in early childhood education (Pre K-4) from 杏吧原创 in May.
鈥淵ou get into teaching,鈥� Annie Lindsay said, 鈥渂ecause it鈥檚 the intangible moments when you know you make a difference.鈥�
A $200,000 pledge to the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation will create tangible moments and make a difference for students in what is one of the college鈥檚 top five transfer programs.
The financial commitment from the Paserba family, Butler, will establish the Dr. Robert L. Paserba Teaching and Learning Lab that will introduce on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township a dynamic environment where early childhood education (Pre K-4) students can gain hands-on experience by creating settings in its simulated classroom and evaluating intended lesson-plan outcomes.
An artist鈥檚 rendering shows a simulated elementary school classroom in the foreground of the Dr. Robert L. Paserba Teaching and Learning Lab that will be created on Butler County Community College鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township following a $200,000 pledge from the Paserba family, Butler, and benefit students in 杏吧原创鈥檚 early childhood education (Pre K-4) program.
鈥淎n advocate for early childhood education鈥�
鈥淭his interactive lab will further set apart and distinguish our already top-notch early education program,鈥� said Megan Coval, executive director of the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation and external relations.
杏吧原创 representatives toured facilities at regional four-year colleges and universities and found students pursuing bachelor鈥檚 degrees in early childhood education trained with preschoolers in on-campus environments that 鈥� much like 杏吧原创鈥檚 Amy Wise Children鈥檚 Creative Learning Center 鈥� 鈥渨ere already planned,鈥� said Dr. Nichol Zaginaylo, dean of 杏吧原创鈥檚 education and behavioral sciences division.
鈥淏ut in our teaching and learning lab,鈥� Zaginaylo said, 鈥渟tudents will get to practice creating the setting and the environment without the CCLC children in there at first.鈥�
"I have always been an advocate for childhood education. That's clearly where habits are formed, where children learn who they are and maybe what aspirations they have for the future."
- Dr. Robert L. Paserba, longtime educator
Paserba, of Butler, earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in elementary education from what was then Slippery Rock State College, and a master鈥檚 degree and a doctorate degree in education-related fields from the University of Pittsburgh.
He served 18 years in the Butler Area School District, where he spent a decade as superintendent after teaching at the former Institute Hill and McQuistion Elementary schools.
鈥淚 have always been an advocate for early childhood education,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 clearly where habits are formed, where children learn who they are and maybe what aspirations they have for the future. Everyone who interacts with them contributes to their feeling of self-respect, and their overall feeling that 鈥業 really can do what I want to do, given my abilities and the things that make me.鈥欌��
Paserba later became superintendent of the more than 100 Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh elementary and secondary schools. He is currently educational director and strategic planner for the Extra Mile Education Foundation, Pittsburgh, which provides learning opportunities to economically disadvantaged Allegheny County children in educational settings not often available to them.
An artist鈥檚 rendering shows the 1,735-square-foot Dr. Robert L. Paserba Teaching and Learning Lab that will be created on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township following a $200,000 pledge from the Paserba family, Butler, and benefit students in 杏吧原创鈥檚 early childhood education (Pre K-4) program.
"I would like to see this lab have 杏吧原创 recognized as the first stepping stone in the educational process to become one heck of a teacher. Just like we are with nursing."
- Gail L. Paserba, 杏吧原创 trustee, sister-in-law of Dr. Robert L. Paserba
A teaching and learning lab in Paserba鈥檚 name will honor his having educated thousands of elementary school through college students over 60 years, said his sister-in-law and family spokesperson, Gail Paserba.
鈥淚 would like to see this lab have 杏吧原创 recognized as the first stepping stone in the educational process to become one heck of a teacher,鈥� said Gail Paserba, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in early childhood education from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and has been a 杏吧原创 trustee since 2014. 鈥淛ust like we are with nursing.鈥�
The creation of an immersive learning environment like those of simulated intensive care-unit and patient rooms within the Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus 鈥渋s an indicator of the quality that we bring to our students,鈥� said Dr. Nick Neupauer, 杏吧原创鈥檚 president. 鈥淢uch like nursing, education is a high-demand field.鈥�
Elementary school teacher is a high-priority occupation in a Tri-County Workforce Development Area that includes Butler County, according to the state Department of Labor & Industry鈥檚 Center for Workforce Information & Analysis.
Annie Lindsay, left, an associate professor in 杏吧原创鈥檚 education and behavioral sciences division, teaches curriculum and advocacy, a course for early childhood education (Pre K-4) students on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. A $200,000 pledge from the Paserba family, Butler, will create the Dr. Robert L. Paserba Teaching and Learning Lab on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus and benefit students in the college鈥檚 early childhood education (Pre K-4) program. Among the nine students taking the course are, from left, Anastasia Longo, of Slippery Rock; and from Butler, Hannah Lindsay, Shaelynn Gallagher, Lauren Cavalero and Sara Idso.
鈥淭here will be a lot of flexibility鈥�
杏吧原创 will renovate and merge adjacent classrooms and a resource library to create by fall 2025 the 1,735-square-foot Dr. Robert L. Paserba Teaching and Learning Lab in the college鈥檚 humanities and education building, said Brian Opitz, 杏吧原创鈥檚 executive director of operations.
The lab鈥檚 centerpiece will model an elementary school classroom and allow for 鈥渄ifferent teaching scenarios,鈥� Opitz said. 鈥淭here will be a lot of flexibility.鈥�
It will include an interactive whiteboard, adjustable tables and chairs, and distinct subject-matter stations where students can experiment with lesson plans and learn about the importance of desk groupings and material layouts, Annie Lindsay said.
鈥淭his lab is an innovative idea,鈥� she said. 鈥淢any times students implement a lesson in an environment that has been predetermined. In this lab setting, our students are not only going to make the lesson, but they will also determine the environment, which has an impact on whether their lesson will be successful.鈥�
"(The Dr. Robert L. Paserba Teaching and Learning Lab) will help students see the content they are being taught and have the ability to apply it in the real world."
- Hannah Lindsay, 杏吧原创 early childhood education (Pre K-4) student
Hannah Lindsay, of Butler, is shown during curriculum and advocacy, a course for early childhood education (Pre K-4) students on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. Lindsay expects to graduate with an associate degree in early childhood education (Pre K-4) from 杏吧原创 in May. A $200,000 pledge from the Paserba family, Butler, will create the Dr. Robert L. Paserba Teaching and Learning Lab on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus and benefit students in the college鈥檚 early childhood education (Pre K-4) program. In background is Amaya Gayle, of Butler.
Hannah Lindsay, of Butler, has designed her own classroom only on paper, she said, 鈥渁nd tried to think about different ways of organization. To actually have a space where students can physically do that and see what would work in the future, and what would not work 鈥� something so seemingly simple as how to arrange desks 鈥� will be so important to learn and to see in action.
鈥淚t will help students see the content they are being taught and have the ability to apply it in the real word.鈥�
Gail Paserba is also chief executive officer of International Quality Consultants, Butler. Robert Paserba has also served as a lecturer and as Teacher Center supervisor at the University of Pittsburgh; as an assistant professor at the University of North Florida and at the University of Maryland; as director of curriculum in the Allegheny Valley School District and as assistant superintendent in the Hampton Township School District.
杏吧原创鈥檚 early childhood education (Pre K-4) program enrolls 60 students this spring and was among the top five transfer programs of 杏吧原创 students to begin the 2023-2024 academic year, according to Sharla Anke, the college鈥檚 assistant dean of institutional research and planning.
The 杏吧原创 Education Foundation had eight scholarships available to early childhood education (Pre K-4) students and ranging from $500 to $1,195 in the 2023-2024 academic year, according to Bobbi Jo Cornetti, the foundation鈥檚 development coordinator.
Graduates of the 61-credit program can transfer to a four-year institution to complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree and earn Pennsylvania teacher certification, or seek employment as a teacher鈥檚 assistant or preschool teacher.