04/27/2026
What do you do with an idea?
Sometimes, you nurture it—and watch it grow into something truly special.
Earlier this evening, a wonderful idea from Professor Deirdre Budzyna blossomed into a beautiful community celebration. Inspired by the children’s book “Little Lucia and Her Terrible Day at the Beach” by local author and illustrator Camille Garro, the idea emerged to invite local preschools to create artwork inspired by the story.
The ECE course “Language and Reading in Early Childhood Education” helped bring this vision to life. Students collaborated with local preschools, supported the planning process, and promoted the event throughout the community—demonstrating the power of learning through authentic, real-world experiences.
Camille Garro joined us to share readings of her book at 4:30 and 5:30, delighting families and staff from across NECC. The event was well attended and truly reflected the heart of our program: inspiring educators to create meaningful, joyful experiences for young children.
At the center of this project was children’s art—art that captured their unique interpretations of the story. Their work reflected emotions, favorite moments, and personal connections, created through a process that valued exploration over a predetermined outcome. We believe deeply that children’s creativity is enough on its own, without adults dictating what the final product should look like.
Take a moment to look at the beauty.
The creativity.
The vibrant tapestry of a community coming together to celebrate children.
This is who we are.
This is what we do.
We are a collaborative team, supported by a college and a community that understands a simple truth: when we support our youngest citizens, we build a brighter future for everyone.
Thank you to Northern Essex Community College leadership and the MA Dept of Early Education and Care for your support of all we do with our ECE program.
Thank you to our ECE students, the ten different programs that participated, and local families for coming to our event to celebrate the amazing creativity of your children!
