Former Educator Brings Learning to the Laundromat
Once a teacher, always a teacher.
Laundromat owner Sheleah McPherson is a former educator who knows first-hand the importance of early literacy to a child’s future success. And now – as the operator of Leah’s Laundromat on the Q in Kansas City, Kan. – she continues to touch the lives of children despite her departure from the classroom.
She and her husband, John, made the decision to give back to their community by creating a designated space in their laundromat where kids can read, play, and learn while their parents tackle the week’s laundry chore.
This early childhood literacy center within Leah’s Laundromat was developed by the LaundryCares Foundation, in partnership with Lakeshore Learning, Scholastic Corp., and both the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools and Public Library.
“I’m so excited to be part of this awesome program that will encourage reading and enhance our young people’s imaginations, while they are here with their parents,” McPherson said. “I want to do my part to enrich my community.
“At Leah’s Laundromat on the Q, we believe in enhancing imagination to read more, create new skills, and elevate confidence in all aspects of learning. The learning space is bringing back the importance of reading, counting, and learning color/word recognition. With this space, we are encouraging more positive parent-child interaction.”
The McPhersons have carved out a small section of the laundromat to create an engaging, fun, and comfortable space that encourages reading and learning. The space features three built-in shelves and one self-standing bookshelf, which are filled with hundreds of children’s books, as well as some adult titles.
In addition, families are allowed to take home books in order to encourage continued learning beyond the laundromat. The books are regularly replenished by Scholastic, as well as through book donations from the local public library and other community-based organizations.
“When I first thought about opening a laundromat, I considered what I could do differently that was going to capture the attention of a child,” McPherson explained. “Not technology. It had to be something where children can actually visualize and see – and that’s books, puzzles, puppets, counting socks with their parents, and so on. All of those things come into play when you think of literacy.
“I think kids want to learn. It’s about us putting it in front of them. So, it didn’t surprise me when kids came in and would immediately gravitate to our Read, Play and Learn space. It was just a matter of us having it here for them.”
Clearly, the Read, Play and Learn center at Leah’s is providing a much-needed literacy resource to help build critical school-readiness skills for children in the area.
“The LaundryCares Foundation is proud to partner with the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools,” said Dan Naumann, executive vice president of the LaundryCares Foundation. “We share their vision to bring early literacy into community settings and everyday places, such as the laundromat. We believe this project helps break down barriers and increase access to critical early language and literacy interactions.”
On a weekly basis, Leah’s Laundromat on the Q serves approximately 50 to 60 families, each with at least one or two younger children.
“Regardless of their background, every child is born ready to learn,” McPherson said. “I meet families where they are – and I absolutely love seeing so many moms and dads getting off of social media on their phones to help their children with a book, with counting socks, with spelling their names, or even just using their imaginations playing with the puppets. And, of course, the children and their parents love that I let them pick out three books to take home with them.
“Our community acknowledges that I’m pushing for our younger generation to meet educational milestones – by having books to read in English and Spanish, posters on the wall, a letter and number board, building blocks, puppets, puzzles, and coloring books, which are all fun opportunities for literacy development,” she continued. “Leah’s Laundromat is a literacy hot spot, and we will continue to push our community not to only come wash, but to also educate our children while washing clothes.”
For more information about the LaundryCares Foundation, its programs for store owners and how to get involved, contact Dan Naumann at: [email protected]; or visit the organization’s website at: www.laundrycares.org.
