HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A Glen Allen preschool that immerses children in Spanish and American Sign Language from their earliest years has received a $75,000 zero-interest loan to help it grow.
BilingualKid, the only Spanish immersion preschool in central Virginia, was founded in 2018 by Claudia Robles. From the moment children arrive, immersion begins — in how they speak, read, learn and play, both inside and outside the classroom.
"I basically include in the preschool program all of the things I think are incredibly important for children to be immersed in from an early age," Robles said.
The school's approach goes beyond Spanish.
"We also are immersing the kids in Spanish and American Sign Language, so by the time they graduate in kindergarten, they are trilingual," Robles said.
Despite the school's success, Robles said financial barriers had limited her ability to expand, even as demand from families grew.
That changed when Henrico County stepped in with funding. The $75,000 loan comes through the Scale Up Henrico Loan Program at zero percent interest. To qualify, businesses must have a brick-and-mortar location in the county, a valid business license and be in good credit standing.
Ebony Atkins with the Henrico Economic Development Authority said access to capital is critical for small businesses.
"Capital access is one of the things that can make or break a small business," Atkins said.
The funding is made possible through a partnership between the Henrico Economic Development Authority, the Department of Community Revitalization and lending organization Bridging Virginia.
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