Beatriz “BB” Otero opens Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Learning Center (later rebranded as CentroNía) in the basement of a church in Columbia Heights, DC, to provide affordable childcare for 15 children. The center quickly becomes a greener pasture for immigrant families and families from the district’s historic Black community, providing resources and support to ease immigrants’ transition and offer opportunity to all families.
Programs expanded to include before- and after-school services and educational programming for adults to address growing community needs.
Thanks to a generous donation by Verizon, Inc. (then Bell Atlantic Telephone Company), Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Learning Center moves into its primary campus at 1420 Columbia Road, NW. Enrollment grows to 100 preschoolers, youth and parents.
Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Learning Center launches our Early Childhood Education Program for infants and toddlers aged 0-3.
Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Learning Center launches DC Bilingual Public Charter School.
Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Learning Center rebrands as CentroNía. Our name comes from a combination of Spanish, Swahili, and Esperanto. Centro means “center” in Spanish, and Nía means “our” in Esperanto and “purpose” in Swahili.
As families are increasingly pushed out of the District due to rising costs of living, we open a new center in Takoma Park, Maryland to serve the growing immigrant community in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County.
Our Food & Wellness Program begins preparing nutritious meals onsite designed to support the optimal learning and development of young children.
We launch our Early Head Start program in Montgomery County, Maryland.
First Lady Michelle Obama launches her Let's Move! childcare campaign at CentroNía's Columbia Rd. center, recognizing our Food & Wellness program as a national wellness leader for early learners and their families.
We opened a new early childhood center on Upshur Street, serving infants and toddlers and housing our DC Early Head Start program.
DC Bilingual Public Charter School becomes an independent entity.
In partnership with DC Public Schools, we open a center at Cardozo Education Campus to provide education and support services to teenage parents enrolled at the high school.
NiaCentral, a subsidiary of CentroNía, is established to provide catering services to early childhood education centers and schools throughout D.C.
Our Child Development Associate (CDA) training program is one of only seven nationwide to receive the Council for Professional Recognition’s CDA Gold Standard Training Certification.
We publish the Theatrical Journey Playbook: Introducing Science to Early Learners through Guided Pretend Play.
Montgomery County approves a joint proposal by CentroNía and the Gudelsky Family Foundation for the redevelopment of the historic Silver Spring library on Colesville Road as the Martha Gudelsky Child Development Center.
Our Columbia Road and Upshur Street centers are awarded high-quality designations under Capital Quality, D.C.’s newly unveiled Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS).
In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, we dramatically ramp up community relief and temporarily adjust our service delivery model to include distance learning and full-day extended care services for students enrolled at DC public schools.
We partner with DC Public Schools (DCPS) to provide services for primarily high-risk infants and toddlers at the new Stevens Early Learning Center.
Vice President Kamala Harris visits CentroNía's Columbia Rd. center to unveil several exciting elements about the American Rescue Plan that will support children and families as the nation works toward recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our experience and success in the early childhood field over the past 35 years has positioned us to be an effective advocate, thought leader, and champion for quality outcomes in early childhood education. However, the social, health, and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ask more of all of us. With the help of our partners and supporters, we are confident that we can meet the rising need in our community!