At Cadence Academy Preschool in Surfside Beach, Horry County, every day is busy, unpredictable, and full of learning moments. Together, teachers Michelle Perkinson and Maria Spradlin bring both structure and heart to the classroom, creating a predictable routine that helps children feel secure while adapting to each child’s unique needs. This balance has led to some of the most meaningful transformations they’ve witnessed.

When her 5-year-old son refused to eat his pudding cup, Alazaey Washington’s first instinct was to insist: “If I put this on the table, you’re going to eat it.” While that approach worked when he was very little, as he got older, Alazaey’s son started pushing boundaries, getting in trouble at school, and talking back at home. That's why she reached out to Triple P through Newberry County First Steps.

C.A.R.E. Academy, in Charleston County, was born from one mother’s dream to create a safe, nurturing environment where all children can thrive. As a single parent, Cushan Brown remembers the fear and uncertainty she felt when enrolling her one-year-old daughter in preschool for the first time. Those early emotions, along with her daughter’s positive experience in an in-home preschool from ages 1 to 5, ultimately shaped Cushan’s vision for the kind of environment she wanted for all children.