Pkwa Htoo, a recent graduate, hopes to start her own daycare center

Pkwa Htoo will be graduating in the Spring of 2021 with an Associate Degree of Applied Science (AAS) in Child Development. Pkwa Htoo hopes to use the knowledge and tools she’s gained to enter the education field and eventually start her own child daycare center.

Pkwa Htoo

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“I noticed our community needed a lot of education in [the early childhood] field. I wanted to provide better tools and education for families in my community and have everything be written in our language.”

Pkwa Htoo's Story

Motivation

After having taken a break from college, Pkwa Htoo returned to learn more about child development so she could open her own child daycare center. Her interest in child development emerged when she first signed her and her son up for Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE). There, Pkwa Htoo noticed that members of her community were unfamiliar with childhood and family development. She envisioned a community in which this knowledge would be readily available and accessible for the members of her community. In particular, she wanted to start a child daycare center that was affordable to families.

“I learned so much from ECFE. I learned how to raise my own child and how to support my child’s education and childhood through attending parent classes once a week,” says Pkwa Htoo.

Challenges

Pkwa Htoo initially felt nervous about going back to school because she recognized that a lot of things had changed since she was last in school, including the increased use of technology in education.

“Going back to college was hard after taking a break off,” says Pkwa Htoo. “You need to know how to balance and manage time.” Pkwa Htoo was a full-time mom so the addition of school was a challenge. She went to bed at nearly 2:00 AM every night. There were times she felt she wouldn’t graduate, but the encouragement of her family, friends, and managers motivated her to reach the finish line.

WeLEAD Support

Pkwa Htoo also received homework and advisory support from the WeLEAD program. “The WeLEAD tutors were very patient, mindful, and good at explaining my writing to me,” says Pkwa Htoo. Even though Pkwa Htoo often worked independently, she was thankful that WeLEAD would always reach out to her to provide resources and support.

Looking Forward

Pkwa Htoo is looking forward to graduation and starting her career in education. She hopes to work with children in early childhood education and gain experience before opening her own childcare center. In her personal life, she plans to take a vacation to Hawaii to celebrate her accomplishment! She also hopes to buy a house in the near future.

In her free time, Pkwa Htoo enjoys walking, exercising, and hiking with her family. She likes to play volleyball, read with her family, and enjoying art.

Congratulations, Pkwa Htoo!