This Supermom Does It All
KenCrest Lead Teacher Dominique Scott juggles motherhood and working full-time while she finishes her Bachelor’s degree.
By Sydney Kerelo
Bent over her laptop at the kitchen table sits Domonique Scott as she studies for her Bachelor’s in early childhood education at Eastern University. With tired eyes, Scott scans the text on her screen in the dim lighting, one of the only times she can work.
As a single mother of two young kids, working full-time as a Lead Teacher at KenCrest’s Lehigh Early Learning Center and attending school, Scott works tirelessly to support her family. But she wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Dominique Scott graduating from Eastern University. // Photo courtesy of Dominique Scott
“I started in the medical field. But I didn’t feel like I was doing my part in the world; I wanted to impact someone else’s life in a way that would create change within the world, and that wasn’t through medicine,” says Scott. “After leaving the medical field, I began volunteering at my old elementary school because the teachers strongly impacted my life. And after being there, I started realizing that this was how I would make a change.”
Volunteering at her old elementary school showed her that working with children is her calling; it’s where she’s meant to be. So, she began working at KinderCare for a while before applying to work at KenCrest’s Lehigh Early Learning Center. She’s been at this Center for more than a year now, and she loves it. Not only does she love it, but her students love it, too.
At the end of the academic year, on the last day of school, Scott and her classroom, which consists of four-and-five-year-olds, went outside to play on the playground. All of the kids swarmed the slide, and all were chanting for Miss Dominique to go down it. So, she did. But it went a little awry, and she went over the slide rather than down it. The kids ran over to her to ensure she was okay, and they all began cracking up.
“Their faces had such shock and concern on them, but they were still laughing,” giggles Scott. “It was probably one of my favorite memories I’ve made so far because It was such a funny moment.”
While teachers like Dominque are supporting little learners, KenCrest, as an employer, provides a myriad of support to its staff members. All employees qualify for tuition reimbursement whether they’re pursuing their high school diploma, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or even a certificate program. It’s an organization that values education for those it employs just as much as for those it supports.
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And not all educational opportunities come in such a structured setting. Throughout the year, staff members at every level of the Agency are also sponsored to attend conferences and seminars, whether they’re local, regional, or even across the Country. KenCrest also offers its own internal leadership accreditation programs for those who want to improve as managers and leaders, as well as those who want to achieve a new level of certification in their industry.
The Agency will even collaborate with employees, depending on their role and department, to help create their work schedule so that they can pursue their higher education in whichever form they’re pursuing.
“I’m a single mom, so it was even harder for me to go back to school,” says Scott. “But I was determined, and I received a lot of support from staff at my Center; if I had a paper or an assignment due, they would let me take a 20-minute break to finish it. They really helped me accomplish my goals; I don’t think I could have done it without their support and the support of my family.”