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Lori Julian, the center’s coordinator, says the early learning hub is important to ensure young children and families become comfortable in a school environment.

“It’s really a great transition tool to get children ready and families ready for school,” Julian said.

Julian joined community members, school and center staff and state partners Wednesday to cut the ribbon on the Tilghman Island Judy Center. It’s Talbot County’s third center, following locations in Easton and St. Michaels.

Judy Centers are funded by the state and are a focus of The Blueprint, Maryland’s expansive initiative to fund education. Last October, the state awarded a grant to Tilghman Elementary School to create one.

The centers provide workshops, family support services, enrichment and learning activities, and more for children up to five years old, according to the . They provide most services for free for families in the school district where a center is located.

“Learning begins long before a child enters the classroom,” Talbot County Public Schools Judy Center Supervisor Amy Walstrum said Wednesday. “It starts at birth.”

“The earliest years are the most critical years, and the most influential people during those years are the child’s first and most important teachers, who are their families,” Walstrum added.

Julian has 25 years of experience as a Judy Center coordinator in Maryland, including in Queen Anne’s County and recently at the St. Michaels site. The new Tilghman Island Judy Center is paramount to providing local families with resources, Julian said.

“We had (Tilghman Island) families that were coming to our St. Michaels (site), and then due to funding, we had to tell them they couldn’t come anymore,” Julian said. “So we lost half our families. So when we put in for this grant, we were blessed to get it here.”

Julian says in a way, the Tilghman Island community has been left behind and put at a disadvantage. The elementary school only has about 100 students, community resources are limited and families have to make 20-minute drives to get to a grocery store, she said.

But the Judy Center is a significant step toward closing that gap for local families.

“Because we’re such a small school, we really were surprised when we did get the grant,” Julian said. “And the families were just thrilled.”