Post Author
Emily Blevins
Communications Director
Just over 25 years ago, Cynthia Williams-Hills went to the Self-Help Credit Union in Durham, wrote a business plan, got a loan, and started her first in-home child care center. In no time, her East Durham center, which provided care around the clock, was booming. Hills and her then-husband expanded their child care center, and Hills started pursuing her degree in early childhood education.
“Between 2006 and 2012, I finished my associates, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in early childhood education. I wanted to learn as much as I could so I could master what I did, and I had a lot of great mentors along the way,” says Hills. “Dr. Brenda Williamson, Shawna Daniels, Ilene Brit, and Vanessa Spence—they’ve taught me everything and it’s because of them and the support of my family that the Center of Excellence is what it is today.”
The Center of Excellence, now based in Hillsborough, North Carolina, has served more than 300 children and families, and provides a robust curriculum that covers foreign languages, music, and science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) courses.
“I think my biggest joy is seeing a child, especially one that other people have given up on, actually learn and grow and master something difficult,” says Hills. “I don’t give up on anyone, and if we can tune in and figure out what we can change and where we can grow—and work together with parents and other providers—then that gives a child the best chance at success.”
For Hills, one of her biggest passions is fostering parent engagement with children. The Center of Excellence, in addition to its curriculum for the kids under its care, also holds regular events and gatherings to help build a sense of community and help parents and kids spend more time together. “We have a Spring Fling cook out, a Thanksgiving community meal, and holiday parties, all complete with games, food, and opportunities for quality time,” says Hills. “A lot of the parents we work with are first-time parents, so these gatherings help them build community with other parents, too.”
But the Center of Excellence doesn’t stop there. Hills says that the Center also operates parenting classes and walks parents through exercises where they can learn to provide additional educational support to their children. “It seems like such a small thing, but a parent sitting with their kid at the table and helping them with homework has a profound impact on a child’s education,” she says. “And if we can get parents into the habit of doing that, then it increases the likelihood that the habit will stick, and that child will do better in school later in life.”
Hills’ passion for parent engagement extends beyond what she ensures the Center of Excellence can foster in the lives of families in their care. In 2023, Hills submitted a case study on the importance of parent engagement to the Bright Start International Conference. Her paper was accepted, and she and her daughter-in-law and business partner, Tasha, traveled to Greece to present it. The case study and the overall experience motivated Hills, and now she’s working on another case study that will turn into her first book.
“We know that parent engagement in the early years has a profound impact on child success, and effective parent engagement can’t happen without a strong relationship with child care providers,” says Hills. “Parents and providers work together and be engaged in order to make a difference in the life of a child—and that the core of what we do at the Center of Excellence.”