Tamara M. Sparks Early Learning Center
We Believe All Children Deserve a Strong Start.
Mile High United Way is committed to improving Colorado’s child care landscape. We have adapted to meet one of our community’s greatest needs by converting our conference center into a best-in-class early childhood education center. The center is the hub of our United for Families program, providing high-quality early education for children, workforce development training for teachers and wraparound support for families.
Enrollment is open
To learn more about enrolling your child, contact our 211 Help Center by dialing 2-1-1. Si necesita ayuda del 211 en español, haga clic aquí.
About The Center
Our longstanding partner Mile High Early Learning is providing education and care using a Montessori-inspired approach to learning.
- Nearly 60 high-quality child care slots for families with children ages 0-5.
- Five rooms: two for infants, two for toddlers and one for preschool-age children. Including a state-of-the-art playground.
- At least 70% of the slots for families eligible for Colorado Child Care Assistance Program.
- Workforce development opportunities for educators and wraparound support for families.
A Model For Change
Our unique approach to child care goes beyond increasing the number of child care slots. We focus on delivering a holistic ecosystem of support that empowers and uplifts children, parents and caregivers. Our goal is create a scalable model that can transform the child care sector in Colorado.
We focus on whole child and parent supports, ensuring families have the resources they need to thrive. Through our 211 Help Center, we connect families to critical resources, like SNAP enrollment, free tax preparation services, universal pre-k assistance, rental and utility assistance, and more. Through our HIPPY Home Visitor Program, we help parents support their child's learning at home.
We strive to make quality child care affordable for families through tuition subsidies and scholarships, and subsidies to allow for higher quality and lower class sizes.
We provide training, accreditation scholarships and salary subsidies beyond the current pay rate to support caregivers and improve the quality of child care programs. This includes training and resources to support the Family, Friend and Neighbor (FFN) providers who care for nearly 60% of young children in Colorado.
Spring 2025 Update
- The preschool classroom recently scored the highest of all classrooms within the Mile High Early Learning network.
- The center holds monthly family engagements focused on nutrition, mental health and seasonal celebrations.
- The center partners with Culture of Wellness to explore new foods each month and the Denver Zoo to enhance nature play. There are also music classes every Friday for the preschoolers.
"Every day, I have the privilege of witnessing how the investment in our children and staff is creating a brighter future for the families we serve.”
Transformational Investments
Mile High United Way is also investing in four ECE centers across Metro Denver to help reach our 2025 goals and create transformational change in our community.
2025 GOALS
- 750 child care slots created across Metro Denver
- 80% of created slots in use
- 70% of utilized slots used by CCCAP-eligible families
Invest In Our Future
By investing in our United for Families program, you can help us scale our services to new neighborhoods and also meet the needs of the families we serve at our ECE center. Together, we can build a stronger, more vibrant community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Complete the following form to learn more.
The Tamera M. Sparks Early Learning Center is in partnership with:
Thank you to our investors
You are changing the odds for children and families in our community.
