Billy Jackson’s calling has always been social work.
Whether it was his time in the Navy or working at the Veteran Resources Center at Tarrant County College, the 47-year-old has always supported others — even before he started studying for his bachelor’s degree this fall at the University of Texas at Arlington.
“I didn’t choose social work. Social work chose me,” Jackson said, evoking a personal mantra.
At the start of the semester last year, Jackson was driving nearly an hour to drop off his child, Gabr’el, with friends in northwest Tarrant County. For Jackson, the inconvenience was secondary — he was willing to make the drive for his child. But the Fort Worth resident was concerned about the development and socialization of his nearly 2-year-old son.
A month or two into school, Jackson discovered the Arlington Child Development Center.
“I just came over here to check and was blown away from the first moment I walked in,” Jackson said of the facility at 1120 UTA Blvd.
The Center for Transforming Lives and UT Arlington have worked together for nearly 30 years to ensure students have accessible on-campus childcare. Since the partnership’s creation in 1998, 750 students have enrolled their children at the development center at little or no cost.
The Arlington Child Development Center, deemed a “perfect partnership” by Center for Transforming Lives CEO Carol Klocek, is owned by the university but operated by the Tarrant County nonprofit.
“It gives (students) so much more flexibility and increases the likelihood, as we’ve seen, for them to successfully complete their degree program,” Klocek said.
Her praise is backed by numbers — since the program began, 95% of students receiving financial assistance toward childcare expenses through the center received their degrees, said John Hall, the university’s vice president of administration and economic development.
“Results support the fact that this resource contributes to student success,” Hall said in an email to the Arlington Report.
Each semester, the development center offers 25 to 35 spots for UT Arlington students for low to no costs, with 10-15 spots available in the summer.
The Arlington Child Development Center is located at 1120 UTA Blvd. (Courtesy | Center for Transforming Lives, Jordan Moralez)
The childcare center allows parents like Jackson to focus on schoolwork or potential jobs while still ensuring their kids are safe, Klocek said.
The Arlington center has benefited university students in more ways than just via accessible childcare. Students from the College of Nursing and Health Innovation and School of Architecture have run lab projects at the center, Klocek said.
For Jackson, the center has been “life-changing,” but not solely because Gabr’el is safe and only a short walk away from Jackson’s classes and his place of work.
Jackson’s concern prior to enrolling his son with the center “was him being socialized, being able to play with others, learning how to share.”
A couple weeks into being enrolled at the center, those concerns were alleviated.
“He’s learning to shine,” Jackson said with a smile.
Early on in the university’s partnership with the Center for Transforming Lives, the childcare center was located in a smaller facility on campus.
“It was really challenging physically to work in for the teachers,” Klocek said.
In 2012, the university and nonprofit opened the current location, where Center for Transforming Lives offers its Early Head Start and Head Start programs.
The expanded space “provided a more convenient and accessible location, as well as a much nicer learning environment” for the kids of students, Hall said.
Jackson has been impressed with the center in more ways than one — the curriculum, facility and staff have been incredible, he said.
The center is even particularly convenient to Jackson — he works a few steps away at the adjacent Military and Veteran Services Center.
The UT Arlington student is able to watch Gabr’el play with other students while working from a bench at the veteran services center.
When Jackson goes to pick up Gabr’el, the young boy gives his dad a big hug, then proceeds to blow kisses to the teachers of the center before saying bye.
For Jackson, the center’s role in enriching and helping his son grow and thrive is invaluable.
“When you see him experiencing his moments of curiosity, you can’t help but to smile,” he said.
Ismael M. Belkoura is the nonprofit editor for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from North Texas Community Foundation. Contact him at ismael.belkoura@fortworthreport.org.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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