Wilcox Academy opens transformative Central City early learning center

Written By Alicia Vial

Community leaders celebrate first-of-its-kind development combining early childhood education, affordable housing and family support services.

NEW ORLEANS - Wilcox Academy opened its new Central City campus today, celebrating an innovative community development that combines a flagship early learning center with affordable housing and family support services designed to strengthen children, families and the surrounding community.

The celebration began with a community second line led by the St. Augustine High School and St. Katharine Drexel Prep marching bands, joined by Wilcox Academy families, teachers and staff. Following the second line, elected officials, community partners and supporters gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and press conference before touring the new facility.

Located in the heart of Central City, the campus will serve 150 children from infancy through age 5 across 13 classrooms and create 30 new jobs. The campus will also offer after-care programming for children ages 5 to 8, extending support for families beyond the early childhood years. Designed around the belief that children succeed when families are supported, the development pairs high-quality early childhood education with affordable housing and a myriad of resources, including healthy take-home meals, family coaching, health care partnerships and other services that contribute to the well-being of the whole family. The integrated approach recognizes that stable housing, access to quality education and family support services work together to improve outcomes for children and strengthen neighborhoods.

For founder and CEO Rochelle Wilcox, the opening marks a homecoming in the neighborhood where she grew up. The milestone also comes as Wilcox Academy celebrates its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of serving children and families across New Orleans.

"Today we celebrate a dream come true and a very bright future for our early learners," said Wilcox. "This campus is about so much more than child care. It’s about giving families the stability, resources and opportunities they need to thrive. When children have access to high-quality early education and families have the support they need, entire communities are transformed. We hope Wilcox Academy at Central City becomes a model that communities across Louisiana can learn from."

The project was made possible through collaboration among public, private and philanthropic partners committed to expanding access to high-quality early childhood education while creating stronger neighborhoods and greater economic opportunities.

"The Wilcox Academy development in Central City showcases what can happen when government, community leaders and private partners work together around a shared vision," said Louisiana State Sen. Royce Duplessis. "I was proud to help champion the funding and partnerships that made this day possible. This project demonstrates that investing in children, families and housing together creates lasting benefits for an entire community.”

The development includes four affordable housing units developed in partnership with Alembic Community Development under Wilcox’s WilReachOne nonprofit arm. The four-plex will have a FORTIFIED roof and energy efficiency certification, and it will be targeted for the educators who are essential to the child care system but often face the same housing affordability obstacles as the families they serve. Together, the integrated campus will create a comprehensive support system that addresses the interconnected needs of children and their caregivers.

“Wilcox Academy at Central City brings to New Orleans a community development model that has been successfully implemented in other cities: integrating early childhood education, affordable housing and family resources in one campus,” said Jonathan Leit and Michael Grote, principals at Alembic Community Development. “We’re so proud to have partnered with Wilcox Academy on this effort, and we applaud Rochelle and the entire team for their vision, tenacity and deep commitment to serving children, families and the broader community.”

Wilcox Academy in Central City is now open and accepting applications for its early learning center. For more information, please visit www.wilcoxacademyelc.com or follow Wilcox Academy on social media at wilcoxacademyelc.

###

About Wilcox Academy Early Learning Center:
Wilcox Academy Early Learning Center is a high-quality early childhood education provider dedicated to preparing young learners for academic success and lifelong achievement. Through a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate curriculum, the center supports early literacy, critical thinking and social-emotional development in a nurturing learning environment. Founded to address the need for strong educational foundations in the community, Wilcox Academy Early Learning Center is committed to family engagement, educational excellence and advancing workforce and economic development through early education. For more information, visit https://www.wilcoxacademyelc.com.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

Next

Nominations now open for Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities’ 42nd annual Bright Lights Awards