Radio interview: Imagination Station Academy owner discusses inclusive childcare and Duke Energy grant

Trey Snod, host of Nextdoor Radio's local talk program, interviewed Ayesha Rogers, owner and operator of Imagination Station Academy in Henderson, North Carolina, about her childcare center and recent grant award. Rogers said her program serves children ages six weeks to five years and currently enrolls about 23 children. She emphasized that her center accepts children with special needs and partners with ABA therapists who provide services for children with autism.

Rogers described the center's small class sizes and individualized attention, and said she prioritizes quality over quantity. She said she is a graduate of Vance Granville Community College and pays for staff to take an EDU 119 course (around $400) that counts as a semester course at Vance Granville to help staff become "highly qualified" in early childhood care.

Rogers said the Duke Energy grant allowed her to install a sign above the building and provided funds to support programming. She described community events the center holds, such as "Dominoes with Dads" for Father's Day and a Mother's Day tea, and said the center partners with the local Smart Start program for weekly technical assistance.

Rogers said inclusion is central to the center's mission: "Inclusion is including everyone, regardless of their disability," she said, adding that her staff receive training to support children with special needs. The interview concluded with thanks from the host on behalf of the Vance Granville Small Business Center and Duke Energy.