Last Updated on May 19, 2026 by Jordan Monaco

For three weeks in April, a hallway in Pioneer Hall at Blue Mountain Community College held something special: color, imagination, and the big dreams of preschool students from Playtime Education.

What may have looked like a small art display to passersby was something much more meaningful for the young artists who created it — a chance to see their creativity celebrated in a college space and begin imagining that places like BMCC belong in their future, too.

In recognition of the Week of the Young Child, an annual April celebration organized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), BMCC’s Betty Feves Memorial Gallery partnered with Playtime Education to bring preschool artwork to campus and celebrate the important role creativity plays in early learning.

The display featured artwork created by preschool students from Playtime Education and was hosted in Pioneer Hall on BMCC’s Pendleton campus. By placing the children’s artwork in a public college space, the partnership gave young learners the opportunity to see their ideas, colors, and creativity honored beyond the classroom.

The celebration culminated in a special Family Night on campus, where students and their families gathered to view the preschool art display, visit the Feves Gallery’s current exhibit, Edges by Lorie Baxter, and spend time in the art classroom creating felt collages through a hands-on activity.

Moments like these reflect the power of early exposure to education, creativity, and community spaces. For BMCC, welcoming preschool students and their families to campus is one way to help young learners see that college is not some faraway idea. It is a place in their own community where learning, creativity, and future possibilities can begin to take shape.

Based in Pendleton, Playtime Education is owned and operated by Amber and Rory Rittenbach and offers preschool in a classroom environment focused on learning through play. The current exhibit in the Feves Gallery, Edges by Lorie Baxter, is on view through June 4. Located in Pioneer Hall on BMCC’s Pendleton campus, the gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and is free to the public.