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Meet The New Kid On The Block At Learning Space

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By JOYCE McKENZIE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 20, 2008

TEMPLE TERRACE - For as long as Michelle Episcopo can remember, she has had a passion for working with kids.

"When I was 19, I wrote and directed a children's play, and I directed a children's choir at my church," said the Seffner woman.

That was also the age when she went to work at Learning Space, a preschool on Whiteway Drive that has been part of the Temple Terrace landscape for 37 years.

"The center was like my second home," said the now-33-year-old Episcopo, who, after giving birth to her son, Jeremiah, brought him with her every day. She was employed at the center as a preschool teacher for seven years, and her son graduated from its after-school program two years ago, when he turned 10.

Although she delighted in her work there, financial circumstances, including a divorce, forced her to re-evaluate her future and return to college in preparation for a more lucrative career as a paralegal.

Seven years after her departure and armed with a degree in criminal justice from Florida Metropolitan University plus experience as a paralegal, Episcopo is back at the place she still calls "home" - as its new owner.

"This is a dream come true, and I believe it came from God," she said.

Another blessing has resulted from her seeking the support of family members in her decision-making process.

"My father and I never really had a good relationship, but when he came in here he was onboard with me immediately," said Episcopo, who noted that her parents divorced when she was 3 years old. "This place has provided so many wonderful things in my life."

Her dad, Andy Episcopo of Plant City, said the situation presented the perfect opportunity for him to come together with her and offer his assistance.

"I did it because it was important to her," he said. "She's a hard worker, and she's pretty much raised her son on her own and gone to college at the same time. She's had it kind of rough, so I hope good things come out of this."

Her mother, Sandra Bryant of Spring Hill, who also has helped her daughter financially, agreed.

"She's always said you've got to trust in God, and we've been praying for her," Bryant said. "I know she is a wonderful person, and we want wonderful things to happen for her."

Temple Terrace resident Rebecca Wilman is the mother of Alaina Coleman and grandmother of 2-year-old Bryce Coleman, who attends the preschool. Before he enrolled at Learning Space, the child attended another area day care center.

"He never wanted to go to the place we used to take him, and he always cried," Wilman said. "But now he wakes up with a smile on his face and says, ''cool; go 'cool.' He just loves this place, and if your child is happy, you're happy."

Janet Wells of Brandon enrolled her infant son, Davin, about a month ago, soon after the center opened under Episcopo's ownership. For the first-time mother in her 40s, it was a "heart-wrenching" decision.

"I called several places and visited a few, and I kept going back to Michelle's center. I just had such a good feeling about Michelle," said Wells, who is delighted with the choice she made. "That I found it was not just luck but divine intervention."

The center has a 93-child capacity and is open weekdays to infants, toddlers and preschool-age children. It also offers after-school programs for youngsters through the age of 10 that include gymnastics, karate and dance. Transportation is provided by and to the center from all Temple Terrace schools.

There are four levels of tuition, each based on the child's age and the family's income.

"That's not to say that we're just for low-income families. We just want to be able to help those who need help," Episcopo said. "The big thing that I want parents to know is that even if their kids come at a reduced fee, they still will get quality care."

Her main reason, she said, for offering the sliding-scale tuition plan is because she loves children and wants to see them thrive.

"Here, they will get a foundation of love and learning," she said. "This is the time developmentally that is the most important in their lives."

MAKING CONTACT

Learning Space is at 5202 Whiteway Drive. For information, call Michelle Episcopo at (813) 988-5595.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849 or jmckenzie@tampatrib.com.

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