By Krystle J Bailey
In 2016, Shericka Newsome of Egg Harbor Township took a leap of faith as she transitioned from working for a daycare center to opening her own home-based childcare service out of her Hammonton apartment. What began with five children in an upstairs condo has grown beyond her wildest dreams. This month, she cut the ribbon on her new Mays Landing childcare academy alongside her husband Matthew, their three children, and the Mays Landing Mayor Carl Pitale.
The EHT native has been working in childcare since she was a teenager. When she was young, Shericka often dreamt of opening her own school and would share her childhood visions with her late mother. As an Egg Harbor Township High School student, she attended child development classes while participating in the workforce program offered by the school. There, her love for working with all types of children truly began to blossom. She found herself uniquely attached to each child, showing them love, compassion, and tenderness. She has since offered that to the dozens of children in her care.
“I’ve watched kids from six weeks old until we send them off to kindergarten,” shares Newsome. “They have all felt like my children. There have been many tears and special bonds with kids and their parents. It has always been family based for me.”
With the help of her husband and two sisters, who also have extensive childcare experience, Little Sunshines Academy has grown exponentially since 2016. Shericka and her family-led team of teachers provide top-quality care to children from 6 weeks to 12 years old, focusing on hands-on and creative educational experiences. Having experienced so much growth and a seemingly endless waitlist, Little Sunshines Academy has expanded and opened its doors to a new facility on Mill Street in Mays Landing.
The new addition to the local community will offer year-round preschool and childcare services, before and after school programs, and a summer camp for children up to 12 years old. Nutrient-rich meals are also provided as part of the tuition.
Little Sunshines Academy is now hiring and seeking loving, nurturing staff members to join the team. While Shericka plans to maintain a hands-on approach with students, teachers, and parents, she looks forward to giving teachers creative freedom to put their unique touch on the curriculum.
“I want people to know that their children will be safe here at all times,” shares Newsome. “They will be loved and cared for properly while learning and meeting their milestones.”
2023 marks 10 years since the passing of Shericka’s mother, who taught her what true love, care, and compassion look like. It’s that same love that she passes down to not only her biological children but every little human that walks through her doors. The new school celebrates her mother’s legacy and opens the door for a new class of students to have their own Little Sunshines Academy experience.
For more information, visit LittleSunshinesAC.com
Krystle J Bailey is a multimedia journalist, author and poet. Connect with Krystle on Instagram @thedailybailey5
