Ivy Tech Partners with Edna Martin Christian Center to Bring Early Childhood Education Classes to Martindale-Brightwood

A new partnership between Ivy Tech Indianapolis and the Edna Martin Christian Center is helping early childhood educators in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood level up their careers without having to leave their community.

Through this collaboration, Ivy Tech’s Early Childhood Education program is offering Child Development Associate (CDA) credential courses on-site at the Edna Martin Christian Center, a long-standing nonprofit that provides wraparound services and educational opportunities to families in the 46218 ZIP code.

The first cohort, composed of more than 10 students, consists of local childcare providers or employees of early learning centers. The classes began this fall. The four-course program allows participants to do two things: prepare for the final CDA exam and earn college credit toward an associate degree. 

“This partnership helps remove barriers for those already serving children and families,” said Rose Wilson, program chair for early childhood education at Ivy Tech Indianapolis. “By bringing our classes directly to where these professionals work and live, we’re making education more accessible and meaningful. They can apply what they learn in real time.”

The initiative was made possible through the Learn, Early, Achieve Project (LEAP)—a privately funded effort that provides scholarships for childcare seats and professional development opportunities in the Martindale-Brightwood community.

Angielena Williams, the director of early childhood special initiatives at Edna Martin Christian Center, said the idea for the partnership came naturally.

“I’m an Ivy Tech alumna and started my own journey in early childhood education here,” Williams said. “I got my CDA and my associate degree from Ivy Tech before going on to complete my bachelor’s, and Rose Wilson was actually one of my professors. She’s been my mentor ever since.”

Williams said that the long-standing connection made Ivy Tech the clear choice when she began searching for a partner to help elevate the quality of early learning programs in the neighborhood.

“I knew the quality of the program and the results it produces,” Williams said. “These are entrepreneurs already running family childcare homes that serve dozens of families in our neighborhood, and they want to be recognized as high-quality providers. Partnering with Ivy Tech gives them that opportunity to grow.”

Williams, who leads the LEAP initiative at Edna Martin, emphasized that this effort was a true team collaboration. She credited Ashley Burton, Edna Martin’s early childhood education specialist, for her hands-on work in connecting with childcare providers in the community.

“Ashley is the one boots on the ground with the providers,” Williams said. “She built those relationships and helped make this first cohort possible.”

Each participant will complete four courses taught by Ivy Tech instructors, with the goal of earning their CDA credential by spring. The program also serves as an entry point for those who may wish to continue toward an associate degree in early childhood education at Ivy Tech.

For Wilson, who has overseen community-based learning initiatives across Indianapolis in the past, this is another example of how Ivy Tech meets students where they are.

“It’s about building pathways that start in the community and lead to lasting careers,” Wilson said. “When our students succeed, so do the families and children they care for.”

Looking ahead, both Wilson and Williams hope this pilot cohort will be the first of many. Williams said her team has already connected with more than 40 local providers interested in future sessions.

“Our goal is to continue offering these opportunities right here in Martindale-Brightwood,” she said. “When educators grow, the whole community thrives.”

You can learn more about the early childhood development program, which is now housed in the new Early Childhood Education Collaborative Community Center on the downtown Indianapolis campus, here.