EXTRA CREDIT
“WE ARE ON A 15-MONTH WAITING LIST RIGHT NOW AND HAVE 96 KIDS,
20 EMPLOYEES, AND IT’S THE BEST DECISION WE’VE EVER MADE.”
–Jenny Hupp, who co-owns Cheerful Children Daycare/Preschool Center with her husband, Scotty Hupp
Cheerful Children, Happy Hearts
BY LAURA ROSS | PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN WATSON
Jenny and Scotty Hupp are living the dream.
Daily, they’re surrounded by nearly 100 toddlers
and preschoolers and all the glorious mess, chaos,
sticky fingers, tearful tantrums, dirty diapers, and
boisterous cacophony they can stand.
And, they love it.
The husband-wife team own and operate
Cheerful Children Daycare/Preschool Center
in New Albany. In 2011, they left jobs in the
corporate and business community to follow
their passion for children and education and
have never looked back.
“I was on my way home from work one night
late, and I called my husband and said, ‘I’m
done,’” recalled Jenny. She studied early childhood
education in college but detoured to raise a family
and work in sales for the Indiana Lottery. Starting
a daycare was always in the back of her mind, and
she knew the time was right.
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EXTOL : FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019
“My love has always been with kids,” Jenny
said. “I thought, I just gave up a company car,
great paying job and insurance. What have I
done?? But I opened a family home daycare in
September 2011, and I ran it for six years. We had
16 children and families and were successful. It
was the perfect situation.”
Scotty joined Jenny in 2013, and in 2016, a
building that formerly housed a daycare came up
for sale at 1615 Grant Line Road in New Albany.
“Scotty and I walked in and we just had this vision,”
Jenny said. “It hit home that we can make this
work. We put an offer in, and my husband and
his friend renovated the entire inside and outside,
working 15 hours a day. We opened Cheerful
Children in August 2016 with 32 kids. From there,
it went crazy. We are on a 15-month waiting list
right now and have 96 kids, 20 employees, and
it’s the best decision we’ve ever made.”
Cheerful Children accepts students from 12
months through 5 years old. The preschool is
focused on offering a structured curriculum
designed to build a foundation of knowledge and
critical thinking skills to foster mental, social,
emotional, and physical development in a secure,
happy environment. Preschool teachers are
certified in first aid and CPR and all are cleared
through a criminal background check and drug
testing.
“Our staff provides a family atmosphere,” said
Jenny. “Many have been with us from the start. They
love these kids and are in constant communication
with the parents. We provide a positive learning
experience and keep the children engaged and
active all day long.”
Children participate in learning centers and
preschool development in the mornings, then
enjoy lunch and nap time in the afternoon before