MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
A SPECIAL STORY FROM:
LEA STANDRIDGE
My husband and I both My
husband and I both attended
graduate school at the U of
A, transplants from the East
Coast that fell in love with the
desert. We left for a few years
while I served in the Navy, but always knew
we wanted to make Arizona our permanent
home. By 2007 we had been back in Tucson
for a couple of years. We now had two busy
careers and three young children ages 5, 3, and
3 months, and we were looking for childcare
where all the kids could be in the same school.
We had heard good things about The J and we
decided to check it out. On that first day it was
Wendy Edmonds who showed us around the
ECE; we saw the pool and the splash park, the
big red strollers, and the playgrounds. We knew
instantly that we had found the perfect place.
Since that first day we have continued to be
amazed by all that The J has to offer. Beyond
the Early Childhood Education program,
my kids have spent their time here doing
homework after school in J-Care, learning to
swim in the pool, traveling to Malibu for their
first sleep away camp, and going to Phoenix for
professional sporting events. Our family has
attended weddings and bar mitzvahs, heard
from outstanding speakers on issues that
are relevant and important, wandered in awe
through the art gallery and sculpture garden,
and spent countless Sundays in the gym for
basketball, as fans, players, and coaches.
In addition to providing a home away from
home, The J has given my family something
even more important, lifelong friendships. Our
kids have made friends over the years at
The J with children of other schools, other
backgrounds, other faiths, and other abilities.
We have met families that share our values,
have kids of similar ages, and love the sense of
community. They are some of our closest and
dearest friends.
The J sets the highest standards for creating
a sense of family and belonging in our
community. You feel it when you walk in the
door and, although it may be hard to believe,
life at the J is only getting better. With recent
improvements, like a new fitness center, an
indoor playground, and upgraded classrooms
in the ECE, my family continues to find new
ways to experience the J. We feel very fortunate
to be a part of this next chapter.
As the J has given so much to my family, I am
happy to now be giving something back. As
We’ll Miss You
Wendy!
Department Chair for Children, Youth & Camping
Servi