Meet Jonquia Jena’ Vaulx of Train Up A Child Learning Center and Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonquia Jena’ Vaulx.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I graduated in 2001 from Radiology School as a Radiologic Technologist. I worked as an extern at the Hospital in Gary, In; while completing my Bachelor degree in Allied Health Sciences with a concentration in ultrasound. I obtained a job as a sonographer in a Hammond, In hospital. I imaged unborn babies in utero for 10 years. I grew a love for children and their destinies. Moreover, during this time frame, I had two of my own biological children. My baby girls were toddlers and I was taking them to daycare everyday. I was working on call at wee hours of the night and waking up going back to work, sometimes with 2 hours of sleep to repeat the process daily. I began encountering all types of controversy on my job. For example, one week I received an evaluation about how much the patients love and appreciate me, and the next week Administration wrote me up saying I was spending to much time with my patients, not scanning enough patients.

I have always desired to train, teach, and push people into destiny. I am a multi-business entrepreneur and author. I married my soul mate, James W. Vaulx 18 years ago and we have 3 beautiful children; which are my heartbeat and legacy! I started my journey to entrepreneurship over eleven years ago with the support of my Husband! I started this path in the shadow of my mother, Marilyn Hall as she taught school and encouraged everyone we encountered. At age 7, I knew I would be business owner because my Dad, John Hall would teach me how to fix property and collect rent. As I fast forward to finishing college.

I decided between the call, persecution, and paying top dollar for child care for my babies that something had to change. I wanted to be my own boss. I wanted to care for my own children. I wanted to treat employees with compassion, development, encouragement, and offer superior training. I wanted to offer affordable child care to my community and change lives of the next generation one family at a time! Thus, in a three weeks interval I was not working in the hospital anymore! I transformed my mother’s home to a licensed home childcare in 3 weeks. While in transition, my First lady’s daycare was closing and she needed childcare for her two girls. By now, my son was an infant and I really needed affordable childcare. My mom was retiring from 33 years of teaching elementary school and kindergarten. All the puzzle pieces were in place. I could start a daycare with 5 children. My childhood bedroom was a toddler sleeping area with 4 cots, a crib, and lullabies playing. The living room had alphabets, chalk paint, high chairs, and learning toys. I was a business owner, an entrepreneur, my own Boss!

I ran a daycare in my mom’s home for three years. Hence, the walls of my current location began to close in on me and I started feeling like I was in bondage. I felt like a caterpillar in transformation. I was excited about another shift. I could not crawl any more, but I did not know if I was ready to fly. I will never forget the day I heard the voice of God, “Jonquia, you have increased in wisdom and stature and have favor with God and man.’ I knew God was up to something great!

I went by 36th and grant street and continued to see a daycare that I knew was occupied. I went in, requested the owner call me. No call. She wasn’t trying to sale the building. I knew God had a center for me, not just a home daycare anymore. Something was happening in the heavenly realm on my behalf. I had no money, but I had faith.

A month later, I was doing an outreach activity for my church, the owner of the daycare was present. I asked her how to expand my business. She then voluntarily said, “I am selling my daycare.” I couldn’t believe this divinely orchestrated moment.

The process began. I was denied by two banks. The Owner showed the property to 40 established people. I was encountering resistance on every hand. I started passing the property saying: Nehemiah 9:25 And they captured fortified cities and a rich land and took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns hewn out, vineyards, olive orchard, and fruit trees in abundance. I knew it would be a supernatural experience to obtain the land.

Nevertheless, In my own strength, I had given up! A week later, I received a call from the Owner and she said she showed the property to over 4o people, daycares, and some churches…BUT she wanted me to have the property!

I received a 4 classroom, full kitchen, daycare filled with tables, cubbies, chairs, toys, and learning tools. I also received a home next door, which is currently my infant house. Two addresses and a capacity 0f 63 kids!

I went from a capacity of 12 children to 63 kids. I am currently occupying a full corner of my city and celebrating holidays, building a presence in the community. We had a land contract and it involved no financial institutions.

As I fast forward to 2018, I was celebrating my 40th Birthday party and went to purchase balloons. Next door was a beautiful orange shop with a for sale sign on it. My daughter said, “Mom, this place is cute and your favorite color.” I took a look in the window and immediately called the number on the sign. I inquired about what type of shop it was. He replied, “A Frozen Yogurt Shop. All I could think was what a great opportunity to teach my pre-teenagers and teen how to operate business. Customer service, Inventory, time cards, computers, work ethic. I was so excited!

I told the owner I was interested and desired to do a land contract to obtain the property! He said he would think about that. He put 33,000 dollars in the property and was willing to sale it for 13,000 dollars. That was an amazing deal. But, I did not have the 13,000 to purchase. The man called me back the next day and agreed to move forward with me as I would pay him monthly. He paid all the franchise fees and I would not owe him any of that money. This was yet another divinely orchestrated business contract. We currently, in 2020, during covid19, have paid off both daycares in six years’ time. My 15 year old whom initially saw the Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt shop, is now my Assistant Manager and we are approaching the final payments to own all 8 of our yogurt machines, commercial freezers, chillers, and furniture in the shop! I stand today, grateful !!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been a smooth road along the way. I Have encountered business partners and employees that I have not been on one accord with. I have met unkind people and they have called the state with falsified complaint reports. I have lost children through covid19 and had to reduce hours of entire staff. I have had to care for my family during hospital stays and pay daycare bills simultaneously, so things are not disconnected while my daughter was getting a blood transfusion. I have encountered pe0ple take my credential folder and hide it to sabotage my licensing inspection. I had a roofer this year say He was 95% complete, ask me for remainder of payment as a favor via check, to get arrested for two weeks and it rained inside my facility. He was actually 80% done, leaving one corner of my classroom completely drenched and we were unable to operate, ruining furniture, flooring, and tiles. I have had my bus driver drive to the mall and other personal areas, resulting in children being picked up late.

I have had to renegotiate contracts with plaza owners to accommodate seasonal closures so we didn’t loose our business. We are closed three months out of the year at the yogurt shop, responsible to pay for 12 months, that was a challenge. We got a ten month payment contract after several meetings.

We’d love to hear more about your business.

Vision and Goals of Train Up A Child Learning Center prides ourselves in being an institution that promotes the peace of God, direction, love and educational development for children, parents and staff.

We ensure everyone that departs from Train Up a Child Learning Center will be educated more, display positive character, and exhibit kingdom leadership from lessons that have been mastered!

Train Up a Child Learning Center was established as a response to the need for quality childcare in our community.

Our center is concerned with the child’s total growth and development. The programs promote the child’s physical development and helps the child become socially competent in relating to adults as well as to peers, encourage emotional growth and control. It provides opportunity for the cognitive learning, which are so crucial during the early years.

The center is concerned with the development of children’s skills. This includes social skills, expressiveness and self-sufficiency, physical skills, gross and fine motor movement, and learning skills – such as ideas, words, color, numbers and problem solving.

These centers are to be basic support to the family, with its aim to enhance and expand the parent’s relationship with the child.

Our Toddlers on Thrones II’s Program is for children ages 24 months to 36 months.

As with our Infant Program, our Toddler Program teachers have specialized training in infant and toddler care and development. They use the same Daily Report Card as the Infant Room. Prior to advancing from the Infant Program, we provide the opportunity for your child to “visit” the Young Toddler Room. They will get to see friends that have already moved up, as well as meet new friends who are ready to welcome them. Rooms also have more open space for them to perfect their walking skills. The Toddler Program rooms have more age-appropriate toys and games.

Children begin to learn about sharing, walking in a line, taking turns and circle time. Through play-based learning, they increase their socialization skills! They begin to experience more tactile skills through art projects, sensory table play and more time outside. Children also begin to talk at this age. The teachers have toys, books, and songs to assist them with their budding language skills. They are like little sponges soaking up so much knowledge and experience!

Children become interested in potty training at this age, and most already are! We encourage them, along with you, to begin potty training when they are ready. We do not push potty training but with consistency on both the parent and teacher’s part your child will be successful.

Toddlers on Thrones III’s (3-Year Old Class)

The Toddlers on Thrones III’s Program is exactly what it sounds like. We employ a more sophisticated lesson plan that is more theme-based. Children learn the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and colors. They will also be tracing their names and may even have homework! We offer varied experiences and teaching techniques to give your child a well-rounded education and experience. There are clearly defined “centers.” The children are taught to put toys away in the correct place before they get more out. They enjoy many opportunities to practice their language skills, learn how to cut, and hold a pencil. They play games that engage their large motor skills and play outside more.

Preschool Kingdom (4&5 Year Old Class)

The Preschool Kingdom Program is exactly what it sounds like. We’re getting them ready to go to a “real” big-kid school! We employ a more sophisticated lesson plan that is more theme-based. Children learn the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and colors. They will also be tracing their names and may even have homework! We break into groups, depending on age and the academic skills of our children. We offer varied experiences and teaching techniques to give your child a well-rounded education and experience. There are clearly defined “centers”. The children are taught to put toys away in the correct place before they get more out. They enjoy many opportunities to practice their language skills, learn how to cut, and hold a pencil. They play games that engage their large motor skills and play outside more.

Your child is also forming their personality so we also teach them about integrity, honesty, friendship and appreciation of diversity. The skills they develop will give them more confidence to enter Kindergarten and succeed. We target the expected outcomes of Gary Public School Kindergarteners and make sure each and every one of our graduates are prepared for kindergarten and beyond. We prepare our children to be ready academically, socially, and emotionally for their first day of school.

Before & After School Program

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The Train Up a Child Learning Center’s quality School-Age and Before and After School Program is tailored To the developmental characteristics and needs of the children we serve. School-age children have many of the same needs that preschool children do. They need a safe, secure and comfortable environment. They need contact with caring and well-trained adults who will pay attention To their individual needs and nurture their growing interests in sports, art, music, drama and other recreational activities. School-age children also want To feel “grown-up.” Many want To challenge themselves physically and intellectually and test their independence. TUACLC’s teachers understand that children change dramatically during the School-age years and that the rate and nature of change vary among children and across developmental areas with the same child. This variability is seen by TUACLC as an opportunity rather than as a problem.

To support children in their School-age years, The Train Up a Child Learning Center’s Before and After School Program contains the following ingredients for success:

Train Up A Child Learning Center specializes in and is proud of being resourceful, having a caring staff, we believe in recognition of the importance of peers, opportunities for mixed and same-age groupings, self-selected activities and experiences, guidance of social-emotional development, providing environments to encourage a wide variety of activities, and we are dedicated to making sure the whole child is addressed.

Teachers maintain a structure and routine for children in the Before and After School Program. Within the program, children are given a choice of activities such as:

Problem-solving area with puzzles and guessing games

Puppet and dramatic play area

Art center

Music center

Homework corner

Social area

Reading corner

Science and math center

Writing and language arts center

Blocks and board games

We are proud to be a Paths To Quality level 3 center, with 4 being the highest. We were just recommended for our highest level by our PTQ Coach at both locations. Our staff is all educated and credentialed.

We are known for and set apart for our community presence with clothes, food give-aways, Christmas and Fall festival events in the community and Faith-Based Curriculum.

Orange Leaf Frozen yogurt is known for hiring teens in the region. Youth are trained and develop great work ethic.

The community loves the product and atmosphere of Orange Leaf Dyer. We offer 16 different flavor, changing them weekly. We offer over 35 toppings to choose from sauces, smoothies, and shakes. We have paint parties, circus days, movie nights, and incentives for good grades, vet discounts, date nights, and parties where we provide balloons and food. We are a one-stop-shop for love, peace, and freedom. I am proud of our service to community and development of youth.

What were you like growing up?
I grew up as an only child, living with my Mother. She taught me three times in elementary school. I traveled alone at two years old on the airplane to visit my Dad in Texas every summer. I was a quiet studious child. I did not hang out much outside and never learned to ride a bike. I loved hanging out with friends. My home was the sleepover holiday house; we always had gatherings. I was always independent  because growing up it was my mom and I. While continuing to provide for us. I was strong and always tried to see the good in every situation, however, I never had a problem fighting for what was right.

I enjoyed reading, writing, acting, watching movies, and eating at new restaurants. I would say adventurous because I like ice skating, golf courses, and playing basketball as a young lady. I loved outreach for church, feeding, and praying for people as a child.

Pricing:

• $169 per week for children of all ages at the daycare cash
• $216 per week for CCDF children, state funded
• Weigh and Pay Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt Store .57 cent per oz

Contact Info:

• Address: Train Up A Child Learning Center Orange Leaf Dyer
  3601 Grant and 3609 Grant St. 274 W 81st Ave.
  Gary, IN 46408 Dyer, IN 46311
• Website: www.tuaclc.wix.com/tuaclc
• Phone: TUACLC 2192392919 2195156148 OL
• Email: [email protected]

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