On June 1, a years-long dream of a Jamaican-American family in South Florida was realized, when they cut the ribbons at their new facility which will be the home of both the Bethlehem Preschool and Bethlehem Junior Academy.
It’s been a long time coming for the Nelson family, whose vision of a school where all children of all colors and creeds could receive a first-class education began with the matriarch, Dorothy Nelson, a Jamaican teacher who migrated to the United States with her husband and three children in 1981.
After settling in the United States, Nelson began working in corporate America but with a love for children and education, she soon found herself working at a preschool in Florida.
While at this school, she noticed how advanced one student was and decided to provide extra lessons outside the curriculum. The school reprimanded her for this, leading her to eventually leave her position. This experience sparked the idea of kitchen tutoring. She began teaching that student in her own kitchen.
Recognizing that other children could benefit from her expertise, she was inspired to start Bethlehem Preschool in 2005.
The school only started with one student, but through word-of-mouth, the school grew to a population of 22 children. Dorothy’s daughter, Audrey Nelson, also joined the school to assist with its teaching and operations.
The school population continued to grow, prompting several relocations. Parents also lamented having to revert to the public school system after their children had graduated from Bethlehem Preschool. With this in mind, Dorothy and Audrey established the Bethlehem Junior Academy in 2013. Barbara Nelson-Bennett, another of Dorothy’s daughters, also joined the school family, as the marketing manager of the Junior Academy.
The schools cover K-8 grades and now have a combined population of 410. The student-to-teacher ratio is 2 teachers to 20 students.
For the Nelson family, education is of the utmost importance, and it shows in both schools’ approaches to learning. ‘Preparing Young Minds for the Future,’ is the school’s motto.
Their journey, however, hasn’t been without challenges. But despite some difficulties, the Caribbean community has rallied behind the Nelson family’s goal to change the education landscape in South Florida. Parents, Caribbean-American lawmakers, and other officials have all contributed in some way to push the schools forward.
The family takes pride in being able to build two institutions that have changed the lives of students and have impacted the community on such a massive scale.
From the days in Dorothy’s kitchen until today, students have scored high on state standardized exams. Ashley, the ‘Kitchen’ student is now a law student at the age of 23. Another student is currently doing her PhD at a university in Germany. There are several others who have matriculated to prestigious high schools, have gotten scholarships, and are now pursuing higher learning at noted universities across the country, such as Barry University, Nova University, and Florida International.
The newly-opened Bethlehem Preschool and Bethlehem Junior Academy, located at 2099 West Prospect Road, Tamarac, has 20 classrooms, a library, a large cafeteria, a computer room, and a newly built playground which consists of a netball, basketball, and pickleball court.
Several city officials from North Lauderdale, Lauderhill, and Tamarac were in attendance to celebrate the opening of the new facility on June 1, 2024. Looking ahead, the Nelson family hopes that the school will become a force to be reckoned with.
