BROOKINGS — For more than 35 years, the Brookings GAP program has provided local after school and summer childcare. Now two of their sites have been recognized with special certification from the newly formed South Dakota Quality Collaborative.

“In 2024, the South Dakota Family Resource Network partnered with SDSU — and the Department of Social Services funded the grant — and with that, they put standards into place for in-home childcare and for us after school programs to enhance our quality,” Stacey Zerfas, GAP director, said. “They came in and evaluated two of our sites — Dakota Prairie and Medary. They looked at our physical layout, they looked at staff interactions and they looked at staff training. They looked at what kind of toys we have, and they looked at our staff getting down and playing Barbies with the kids.”

Based on that assessment, the collaborative awarded both sites the first level of certification in a new program designed to promote excellence in childcare. 

“They of course make suggestions and kind of set up a goal plan for each site to improve that quality,” Zerfas said. “We will continue with self-improvement and work to meet the requirements of level two in 2025 and level three when the timeline is designated. If the opportunity arises for us to have Hillcrest and Camelot participate in the certification, we will do so.”

The certification is voluntary and goes above and beyond state licensure. Zefas said they emphasize continual improvement.

“There’s three levels that are set up. All after school programs start with level one, and we were recognized as being a level one,” she said. “So we’ll continue to be part of that program now in 2025 to keep working for our level two and continue improving everything that we provide — framework, structure — for our program to never settle but always keep working to be better for the kids in our community.”

Not only were the two Brookings GAP sites recognized but Zerfas herself was also selected as a program ambassador and tasked with providing guidance for other interested childcare providers.

“I think we’ve been at a great level, but this is going to put a shine on us. It’s going to help us,” she said. “As a society we talk about quality, and we talk about the focus on children and helping them to grow into being strong, stable, responsible adults. Right now is really a very exciting time for after school and summer programs, because we have that increased focus on quality programming and quality standards.”

GAP provides before and after school care for roughly 300 students during the school year. During the summer, all-day care is provided to about 400 children. Zerfas said they maintain a ratio of 15 kids per staff member.

“A large majority of (the staff) are college students that are majoring in elementary education or human services. And so they’re working to get the experience to become better teachers, better counselors. They’re all going into a childcare field of some sort,” she said. “I just hired a new site supervisor for our Hillcrest location, and she has brought in so many ideas for the kids at Hillcrest. Her lesson plans are always evolving and it’s things that — they’re so innovative …  and they bring in excitement with them.”

She said the result is a positive educational experience.

“I always tell the staff — when I’m going to orientation with them — that we are not a babysitting program,” Zerfas said. “We are a program where they are going to be mentors. They are going to make a mark on a child’s life that will be there for that child’s entire life.” 

She said summer especially is about making lifelong memories.

“We participate in the library program. We pretty much do all of the library activities. We have the kids work with McCrory Gardens on weekly classes,” Zerfas said. “We do the SDSU rock wall, partnering with the Wellness Center to have kids come up there and do that. We take our 4th and 5th graders to Oakwood for a day where they can learn to canoe, learn to just do outdoor activities … Anything we can take advantage of doing in the summer, we do.”

Zerfas, who has been director since 2021, said she’s already seen GAP bear rich fruit.

“One of the absolutely coolest things for me in this position has been the number of former GAP children that came back when they turned 18 and applied for a job at GAP because they want to be that person who made a difference, like somebody did for them when they were in GAP,” she said. “I think that speaks volumes of a program when the kids can recognize what a difference somebody made in their lives growing up, and they want to give that back as an adult.”

She encourages families to learn more through the website https://www.brookingsgap.com. 

“We always have a waiting list. We fill up quickly,” Zerfas said. “So in March we will open up our summer registration to current families, and then open registration to community members. And that typically — I think last year, we filled up within three or four days of registration for summer. So it is really important that people recognize that’s how early our programs need to start planning for those summer activities. And then in April we open up our 2025-26 fall registration. And again, it fills up quickly.”

Contact Jay Roe at jroe@brookingsregister.com.