Why We Support The Center: The Na Family
For parents Grace and Kevin Na, choosing The Center for their children's education was about finding a school that offered a strong academic program and a diverse community. They wanted their three kids (currently in fourth grade, third grade, and Kindergarten) to grow up as well-rounded, kind individuals, and they believed The Center's Core Values would help foster those qualities.
"The Center's values of caring and inclusion really resonated with us," says Grace. "And it felt that the parent community was supportive of those values, too. It feels like a community effort in raising and instilling these values in our kids, and supporting the school in all the ways we can is a big part of that."
Kevin says that now, as members of the community, “being in such a diverse environment with a great staff and faculty is super fulfilling to watch…It’s been really special seeing our kids' friendships develop as we all build more connections in the community, and we are excited to see where the relationships go."
The Na family has been involved in various aspects of The Center community. Kevin has volunteered at the Book Fair and in the Library, and Grace has served on the Yearbook Committee. They appreciate the opportunity to be engaged parents and participate in their children's experiences at CEE.
"It's been amazing volunteering at the school," says Grace. "The kids love it when they see you at school and know you are taking part in the community. They want to see us on campus more!"
Yoon and Esther Na, Kevin's parents, are also impressed with The Center. They have watched their grandchildren grow and learn so much since they started at the school.
“Being in such a diverse environment with a great staff and faculty is super fulfilling to watch... It’s been really special seeing our kids' friendships develop as we all build more connections in the community, and we are excited to see where the relationships go."
"I didn't know what to expect, but I see the changes in them; I see amazing progress in them," says Yoon. "At CEE, they learn how to be fair, honest, and good human beings. I think The Center is doing a great job of providing the foundation for young children to be good people, which is so important. They seemed to learn to express their feelings even if they did not agree with others, in a polite way. And once I learned how the teachers focus on the children, I wanted to support the school as much as I can."
Esther reflects on how meaningful it is to visit her grandchildren at Grandparents’ and Grandfriends’ Day in the spring. "At Grandparents’ Day, I love how my granddaughters take me and show me what they do at school. They are prepared to share with me, and I appreciate that," says Esther. "They are so proud to show their grandparents their work and their school. And it is not because they are supposed to, they want to. They are the bosses when we are visiting their classrooms! It is so nice to see."
The Na family is grateful for the community they have found at The Center. They are confident that their children are receiving a high-quality education and that they are growing up in a supportive and nurturing environment.
"We know that all of these individual experiences, whether it be the Art Fair or Grandparents' Day, don't come for free," says Grace. "In whatever way that we can, whether it is through our time or our donations to the Annual Fund, if our support can help The Center continue to thrive off of those values, we are happy to do that!” We are so grateful to the Na family for their commitment to the students and families at CEE!
