Learning Labs • 18th Sep, 23

CEOC Expands Its Impact on Early Childhood Literacy with New Learning Lab at Prestonwood Baptist Church

CEOC has partnered with Prestonwood Baptist Church to open its second Learning Lab at the Plano campus, located at 6801 W Park Blvd. The lab’s Fall Session will operate after-school on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The impact made here will change the course of future generations. We intentionally chose to partner with Prestonwood based on its outstanding reputation in the community, especially in regard to its children’s ministry,” says CEOC Founder and President Scott Turner, who also serves as an Associate Pastor at Prestonwood. “Unfortunately, to date, there is still a high level of early childhood illiteracy across our country. We are determined to provide a supplemental reading program that not only improves literacy but boosts the confidence of the children.”

The Learning Lab’s purpose is to teach proficient reading skills, provide a caring environment, and develop Christ-like character. To improve reading proficiency, the lab employs a hyper-focused curriculum designed to develop, enhance, and sustain the five foundational reading skills: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. 

“Our entire staff is thrilled to host CEOC’s new lab at Prestonwood,” said Executive Pastor Mike Buster. “We truly believe in this program and are so passionate about offering it here. Our team is very excited to see how our new students progress in their reading skills throughout the fall.”

CEOC’s first opportunity at improving childhood literacy came from renovating the existing Literacy Lab at BridgeBuilders, located in the South Dallas community of Bonton. We provided tablets and created an inspiring space for kids to read! Upon seeing a marked improvement in their literacy scores, Turner chose to build a scalable, faith-based reading development program to serve children in Kindergarten through 5th grade.

Turner is grateful for those who support the lab program, saying “We are so proud of our teachers, students, parents, and partners who continue to strengthen our Learning Lab initiative. It takes an ‘all hands on deck’ approach to make this kind of impact. Our Director of Programs, Sable Coleman-Jones, has done a great job innovating and accelerating our Learning Lab initiative since coming onto the team. We have high expectations for this program’s future and plan to do great things at Prestonwood and beyond!”

The Learning Lab initiative aligns with CEOC’s mission to revitalize the communities of America through sports, mentorship, and economic opportunity. CEOC plans to strategically partner with community-centric churches and faith-based community centers to host future Learning Labs.

To learn more about CEOC and stay updated with its community initiatives, please visit the website and connect with CEOC on  LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

ABOUT CEOC

The Community Engagement & Opportunity Council (CEOC) was founded in 2021 by former NFL player, Texas State Representative, pastor, and local businessman Scott Turner. Turner previously served as the first Executive Director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council (WHORC), which was created to transform America’s most distressed communities through economic development and community impact. 

Following his time at the White House, Turner and his team continue to help those living in under-resourced neighborhoods through his family foundation, Community Engagement & Opportunity Council (CEOC). CEOC’s mission is to revitalize the communities of America through sports, mentorship, and economic opportunity.

MEDIA CONTACT | Sam Davis |sam.davis@communityeoc.org | 903.517.1295