Description
Since opening its doors in 1986, The Care Center has worked with thousands of teen mothers and their families. By combining rich, rigorous academics with supports like daycare, transportation and medical care, we help low-income mothers, who have dropped out of school, prepare for college and careers.
Class sizes are small, and the student-teacher ratio is low, allowing for substantive connections between adults and students. The arts bring forth unimagined possibilities, and the athletic component imparts teamwork and sportsmanship. Our expectations are high and our support of students is exceptional.
To increase college graduation rates, we launched Bard Microcollege Holyoke, the nation’s first college for young mothers. The accredited program housed at The Care Center is designed to mitigate the challenges young mothers routinely face in a traditional college setting.
In 2002, our New Directions curriculum was recognized as a model demonstration program by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We were recognized by The White House in 2011 as one of the best programs for youth in the country with the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award. In 2015, The Clemente Course in the Humanities offered at The Care Center in partnership with Bard College, was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Obama.
