M&T Bank volunteers assemble classroom furniture at the new Kingstowne Preschool Academy
ALEXANDRIA, VA — With opening day just days away, a team of volunteers from M&T Bank spent the afternoon of Friday, August 21, helping Hopkins House prepare its new Preschool Academy in the Kingstowne community of Fairfax County, Virginia, to welcome young scholars and their families.
Organized by Hopkins House Trustee and M&T Bank Vice President Jahreem Edwards, the bank volunteers included Dee Kakar, Seema Shah, Konstantine Papastergiou, Natalie Fogelbach, Janel Giambrone, Gita Bhandari, Dayana Villanueva, and Juan Chavarriaga-Ramirez. For several hours, they assembled classroom shelves, cubbies, and cabinets, helping Hopkins House move closer to completing preparations for the Academy’s opening day at the end of this month.
“Opening a new Preschool Academy is hard work, and we are so grateful to Jahreem and the M&T Bank volunteers for giving us their time, energy, and talents,” said J. Glenn Hopkins, President & CEO of Hopkins House. “They didn’t simply show up, they came with their own tools, rolled up their sleeves, and went to work. Their generosity is helping us create welcoming classrooms where our Preschool Academy Young Scholars can learn, grow, and thrive. We cannot thank them enough.”
These final days before opening are particularly busy for the Hopkins House team. Six classrooms, several administrative spaces, and the outdoor playground must be prepared to receive the young scholars, educators, and staff by the start of the new preschool year.
Located at 7130 Silver Lake Boulevard in Alexandria, the new Kingstowne Preschool Academy will serve up to 78 children, ages 6 weeks to 5 years old, year-round, Monday through Friday.
Community Partnership
This new Academy is part of Fairfax County’s Kingstowne/Franconia community facility and represents an important public-private partnership to expand access to high-quality early childhood education for area families.
“Community partnerships have always been central to the work of Hopkins House,” Hopkins added. “The support of these M&T Bank volunteers is a wonderful example of the community benefit that comes when businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individuals work together in pursuit of a shared commitment to children and families.”
Open House & Tour
The Hopkins House Kingstowne Preschool Academy is scheduled to open on Monday, August 31, 2026.
An Open House & Tour will be held on Friday, September 4, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., providing families an opportunity to tour the new facility, meet educators, and learn about the curriculum, program activities, and enrollment. Fairfax County officials will also be on hand to answer questions about government childcare tuition assistance.
