GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — “Children are open books and you can pour that knowledge into them if they are in that environment, and this center is going to do just that,” Sen. Gladys Robinson said.

The Martin Dixon Intergenerational Center on the campus of Bennett College will provide Head Start, Early Head Start and N.C. Pre-K programs for children in Guilford County.

It’s through a partnership between Bennett College and Guilford Childhood Development.

“It’s an exciting opportunity. There’s so much innovation behind bringing together an adult higher education facility,” said Maria Layne-Stevens, CEO of Guilford Child Development.

FOX8 was able to get a look inside Thursday morning. There are three classrooms for 18 4-year-olds, 17 3-year-olds and 8 two year olds.

It’s a federally-funded program that’s free for 43 parents who have children with disabilities and for those who meet the income requirements.

“Parents who are working and barely making ends meet, often time those children get left behind. Often, they don’t access have high-quality preschool services for their children, and this is what this allows us to do,” said Layne-Stevens.

There are eight teachers who will help oversee the facility.

They say this new program will be a springboard for young children as they prepare for success in both school and life.

“It is so critical, and it’s going to help close that gap. They won’t go into 3rd grade with that gap. They will go in ready to learn when they hit the public school system, and so we won’t see that gap for the children who come here,” Robinson said.

Although some students are already enrolled, they can’t physically come to the building until it opens.

Until then, teachers are holding classes virtually.

For more information or to see if your family qualifies, contact Guilford Child Development where family advocates can walk you through that process.