With a sincere belief that every child deserves the opportunity to reach his or her full potential – while also learning the foundational elements of the Christian faith – Cornelius Early Scholars continues to grow its mission of offering preschool children those essential first steps.
A nonprofit 501(c)(3), Cornelius Early Scholars is a scholarship based preschool where every child is nurtured and loved in a safe environment, with an emphasis on faith, academic excellence and parental involvement. Alarming statistics have shown that roughly half of children living in poverty are simply not prepared for kindergarten, which includes not being able to recite their ABCs or counting to 20. Many have never turned the pages of a book.
“We believe every child deserves this opportunity, and we strive to provide the tools and resources necessary to make that happen,” says Board Chairman Rev. David Judge. “Our team of experienced educators is dedicated to creating an enthusiastic curriculum that encourages exploration, creativity and a love of learning. We’re committed to providing a well rounded education that prepares children for success in kindergarten and beyond.”
Rev. Judge explains what sets Cornelius Early Scholars apart from other resources – their vision to offer all children the benefit of a preschool education, regardless of their family’s ability to pay.
“Many local preschools have tuition assistance, but none that I know of were created explicitly to serve those who cannot afford it,” he shares. “Even greater than that, our mission is to build a foundation of faith in Christ. All glory is to God for what is done through CES. We offer scholarships based on family income, and almost all our students qualify for 100% scholarship. We are Christian based, and parenting classes are included as well.”
Their curriculum focuses on language and literacy, critical thinking and early math, along with social skills and emotional well being.
Registration for the 2025-2026 school year is now open, so getting the word out about CES, and reaching out for donations, is crucial! Community support has been amazing, and this month, the preschool will wrap up its second full year of operation. This coming fall, Cornelius Early Scholars will offer a two and three-year-old hybrid class, a three-year-old class, a Pre-K class and a transitional kindergarten class – for kids who are close to kindergarten age. School hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
“As we’re coming to the close of our second year, we’re already planning three years ahead,” shares Rev. Judge. “The demand for our preschool opportunity is strong, but getting the word out to families who haven’t traditionally been able to send their children to preschool because of the cost is difficult to do. As we grow, we also need to add staff. Donations can make it all happen.”
When you donate to Cornelius Early Scholars, know that 100% of your donation goes to operating the preschool, including classroom teacher salaries, along with start-up costs for durable equipment such as desks, tables, chairs, bookcases, books and other art and classroom supplies.
Donations via check can be mailed to Cornelius Early Scholars at P.O. Box 338, Cornelius, NC, 28031, or you can conveniently donate via the website corneliusearlyscholars.org, and follow them on Instagram @corneliusearlyscholars. Cornelius Early Scholars is located at 21017 Catawba Avenue, Cornelius, NC, 704.301.6851.
