Ambria Hughes, an Early Childhood Associates Degree graduate at Mayland Community College, now finds herself as the lead teacher in the More @ Four classroom for 4-5 year olds at Children's Castle in Avery County.

"I went into early childhood because I have always had a love for children and being with them," said Hughes.

Hughes began Mayland after high school, but had to take time off when she became a mother to twin boys. Once they began kindergarten, Hughes came back to Mayland to continue her education.

"I went into the Early Childhood Program not really sure if I was going to teach in a childcare center or elementary school," said Hughes. "Once I began the program I was so amazed at how much I learned and how fun it was and I knew this is what I was supposed to being doing with my future. I can remember teachers that I had as a child who made a difference in my life and I want to make a difference in other children's lives as well."

Hughes says the Early Childhood Program at Mayland is amazing. There are outstanding teachers and everything they taught her has helped in her job.

"The program allows you to go out into classrooms and work to see what you are getting into," said Hughes. "This was a blessing for me and made me realize without a doubt that a classroom is where I wanted to be."

The hands on learning helped Hughes to develop into a successful teacher, and she uses everything that she was taught in her Mayland classes in her own classroom.

Hughes is the lead teacher in for the More@Four classroom. The More@Four Program is a state funded program that functions on the same schedule as the school system in Avery County.

Children in this program are taught skills to prepare for them for kindergarten, similar to a pre-k type setting. The More@Four Program is for four and five year olds and is free for qualifying children.

"I love working with this age and love all the staff at Children's Castle," said Hughes.

While serving as the lead teacher in the three year old room, Hughes was part of a routine state inspection on the center in order to receive its star rating. Her room was chosen as one of the rooms to be observed for the inspection.

Those inspecting the program spend the day observing the classroom; they interview the chosen teachers, and give a score based upon their performance in the classroom and how their room is set up.

The score is on a rating scale of 1-7, with 7 being the highest. Hughes was given a score of 5.83, and was very excited when she received this score.

"Based upon my score, along with two other rooms at the child care center, it was given 4 out of a possible 5, which is very high rating," said Hughes. "When I received this score I felt astonished. It made me feel good about what I was doing in the classroom and was a good confidence booster since I graduated from Mayland last May. This rating made me feel like this was where I needed to be."

After the inspection, Hughes was given the opportunity to further her education. She will begin Western Carolina University next semester to work on her Bachelors in Birth-Kindergarten education degree.

"Child care is an important field to go into because we need teachers and caregivers in our community who care about children," said Hughes. "When parents leave their kids in a daycare or at a school they are trusting the caregivers will love and give their kids the best possible care they can. Children need to have people in their lives that they know care, and going into this field is an opportunity to make a difference in the life of a child."

Hughes’s favorite part about being at Mayland was being in the classroom. She says she is a hands-on learner and instructors in the program are hands on teachers. Learning was informative and fun.

"Mayland changed my life and gave me opportunities that I never would have had and it will others too if they let it," said Hughes. "The Lord has blessed me so much, and I am so grateful for all that he has done for me. I owe all this to him."

Hughes lives in Newland with her husband Jeremy and three children Kama, Eion, and Zack.