THIBODAUX, La. — Nicholls State University is proud to announce a donation from the Lorio Foundation to improve facilities at the Little Colonels Academy.
The Thibodaux nonprofit donated $90,000 to the childcare center, which will be used to purchase new surfacing and playground equipment for the children, as well as other projects inside the classrooms.
“This is so important because it helps our students, it helps the community and it helps the faculty that have children who attend Little Colonels Academy,” said Dr. Sue Westbrook, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Little Colonels Academy is more than a daycare or a preschool, we are truly a school with a curriculum to help prepare these children for their future.”
Established in 1997 to honor the memory of Thibodaux resident Lloyd Lorio, the nonprofit has spent the last 20 years awarding annual grants to religious, charitable, educational and governmental agencies in the Bayou Region. They have donated more than $3 million to Nicholls since their inception.
“I toured LIttle Colonels Academy after they applied for the grant, and I was very impressed,” said Cam Morvant, co-founder of the Lorio Foundation. “I was impressed with what they’re doing and what they want to accomplish. Education has always been important to our foundation ever since we started. So when they came to us for this project, this was an easy grant to approve.”
Little Colonels Academy is an early childhood learning center housed on the Nicholls campus as part of the College of Education. The school provides quality care and unique learning experiences to children from 6 weeks to 4 years old, as well as a hands-on learning experience for Nicholls nursing and education majors.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2018
CONTACT: Jacob Batte, Media Relations and Publications Coordinator, 985.448.4141 or jacob.batte@www.nicholls.edu