Rhodah Harrell is the Assistant Director of the Early Learning Center Wilmington located in the Southbridge neighborhood of the city. The Wilmington Center proudly serves 30 children who are enrolled in the New Directions Early Head Start program. Rhodah is honored to have served in this capacity since 2015. “Together with a team of amazing and creative teachers, I am committed to creating and maintaining an environment where children can grow and thrive”.
Rhodah joined the Early Learning Center staff in 2006, first serving as an infant teacher in Newark before taking on her current role as an administrator. Since joining the Early Learning Center, Rhodah has had the incredible joy of working with children and their families and learning from the wonderful staff whose dedication to quality care is noteworthy. “I feel so fortunate to work with professionals who believe in making a clear, tangible, difference in the lives of the children they serve. They are nurturing and fun, while encouraging growth and learning”.
Having earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education from Cairn University in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, Rhodah has devoted more than 20 years working in education with young children and their families in East Africa, Central Pennsylvania, and Delaware. “I have known all my life that I wanted to work with children in some capacity. At the Early Learning Center, I feel privileged to have the opportunity to do so and see children become little confident learners who are ready to conquer the world around them.”
In 2013, Rhodah became a regular instructor with the Delaware Institute of Excellence in Early Care (DIEEC), training a next generation of child care leaders. She enjoys instructing and interacting with participants, and is grateful for the opportunity to be a partner in learning. “I love providing new insights and encouraging teachers to embrace the challenges and rewards of this great endeavor”.
Rhodah lives in New Castle with her husband Sam and is the proud mother of one son, Christopher (17), who will be joining the University of Delaware in the fall. She also has two daughters, Hope (13) and Grace (9). Her youngest daughter was born with Down syndrome, which gave her family the unique opportunity to advocate for young children with disabilities in Early Care. “Our journey has been greatly helped by the Early Learning Center. Its inclusive environment, wealth of knowledge and experiences provide important guidance and support to families like mine.”
Rhodah’s interests are spending time with family and friends as well as traveling. “I have called the Early Learning Centers my second home for over eleven years. It feels like home because we really do serve together as a family. We have a common joy in the work we do, which is centered on building strong and positive relationships with young children. This unwavering support fuels my daily efforts to make a difference.”
