Robyn Ridgley’s smile beamed as bright as the hot June sun above her as the dark brown Nissan cargo van backed up to the storage building outside the Ann Campbell Early Learning Center on North Baird Lane.

As interim director of the early childhood education facility on MTSU’s campus, Ridgley was thrilled to see the excited group of employees from Nissan’s Smyrna plant unload three skids of needed supplies June 18— napkins, paper towels, wet wipes, paper cups, cleaning supplies and other similar items.

The donations will allow Ridley and her staff to properly take care of the precious little ones being taught there.

A group of employees from Nissan’s Smyrna plant dropped off a vanload of supplies Thursday, June 18, at the Ann Campbell Early Learning Center on North Baird Lane. Pictured are, from left, Jennifer Hill, JaMichael Smith, Tim Mrozinski and Magen Clayton. (MTSU photos by Jimmy Hart)

Like last year, Nissan held a supply drive at its plant where employees could drop off the needed items.

“Nissan has sponsored us through our Wishing Tree program to provide consumable products that we use in our program each day,” Ridgley said.

“They’ve been collecting for two weeks and this will really help us in terms of not having to spend the limited funds we have on things that we use a lot of, so we’re really happy about the partnership.”

Formerly known as Project Help, the ACE Learning Center is an inclusive early childhood program serving young children ages 15 months to kindergarten. The center provides a developmentally appropriate learning environment where children who are typically developing and children with developmental delays play together and learn from each other.

The program also provides hands-on learning experiences for many MTSU students. These students support the program by working in the classrooms and interacting with, playing alongside, and supporting the children. The program is funded through family tuition, MTSU, the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties and private donations.

For more information about the Ann Campbell Early Learning Center at MTSU, visit www.mtsu.edu/acelearningcenter or call 615-898-2458.

— Jimmy Hart (jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu)

Employees with Nissan’s Smyrna facility dropped off a vanload of supplies Thursday, June 18, to the staff and students at Ann Campbell Early Learning Center at MTSU on North Baird Lane. The center is Rutherford County’s only community- and center-based program serving very young children, including those with special needs.

Nissan employee Chris Hobdy joins fellow workers in unloading a skid of supplies Thursday outside the Ann Campbell Early Learning Center at MTSU. Employees at Nissan’s Smyrna plant held a supply drive in support of the center.

A group of employees from Nissan’s Smyrna plant dropped off a vanload of supplies Thursday, June 18, for the Ann Campbell Early Learning Center at MTSU on North Baird Lane. Pictured from left to right are Nissan employees Tim Mrozinski, JaMichael Smith, Jennifer Hill and Magen Clayton; Robyn Ridgley, interim director of the ACE Learning Center; and Nissan employees Chris Hobdy and Michael White.