Arthrex Academy – Naples, the childcare center located at Arthrex global headquarters in Naples, Florida, recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of its grand opening, inviting parents and close supporters of the Academy to join in the festivities.
“We’ve had a truly wonderful year with our children, families, staff and partners at Arthrex, and this is our way of coming together to reflect, appreciate and celebrate all that we’ve built together,” said Arthrex Academy – Naples Director Samantha Seeburger.
In addition to Arthrex Academy students and their families, President and Founder Reinhold Schmieding, Senior Vice President of Human Resources Kathy Sparrow, Human Resources and Organizational Development Senior Director Mike Boose and Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) Chief Culture Officer Jennifer Hart were also in attendance.
“From the very beginning, the goal of the Arthrex Academy has been to foster creative learning while providing peace of mind to parents,” said Reinhold. “It was fun to be a part of celebrating this milestone and to see so many children growing and thriving in this Arthrex environment.”
Festivities at the one-year celebration included snacks, mini golf, face painting, craft tables and a photo booth compliments of the Arthrex Corporate Photography team. Taking full advantage of the shaded outdoor play areas, Arthrex Academy teachers served snow cones and ran carnival-style games.
Arthrex Academy students were also surprised with a visit from their favorite superheroes, portrayed by members of Heroes Unmasked – a Southwest Florida nonprofit offering support to families of children battling illness. In partnership with Heroes Unmasked, the Academy held a toy-drive in the weeks leading up to the one-year celebration, collecting donations for the organization to distribute to children in the area.
And, as part of a legacy project, families were invited to paint a tile to be displayed on the walls of the Academy.
“I am incredibly grateful for the care and dedication that goes into everything at the Arthrex Academy,” said Senior Business Systems Analyst Sharad Patel. “With me working on the Naples campus and my wife working at NCH, we also deeply appreciate the Academy’s location, which makes our daily routine easier and gives us an added sense of comfort knowing our kids are close by.”
Information Security Senior Manager Swen Tauber's son, Liam, was the first student to arrive at the Arthrex Academy – Naples on opening day last March. One year later, Swen and Liam were grateful for the opportunity to take a photo with Reinhold at the anniversary celebration.
“The Arthrex Academy is so much more than a daycare,” said Swen. “The educational quality stands out in an exceptional way, fostering curiosity, confidence and a love for learning from such an early age. My wife and I both are so thankful to Reinhold for the vision and commitment that made such an incredible environment possible.”
Arthrex employees also have access to an on-site Academy childcare center at its manufacturing facility in Pendleton, South Carolina, with another coming soon to its manufacturing facility in Ave Maria, Florida.
