Kids of Excellence Learning Center

Our beloved Kids of Excellence Franklin Center was destroyed in a devastating fire on October 22, 2025. We are beyond grateful that every child and staff member made it out safely. Yet our building, and decades of memories, learning, and love, were lost.

The loss of this center, a community pillar since 1999, is deeply felt by hundreds of families whose children have grown, learned, and been loved within these walls.

Founded in 1999 by lifelong New Orleanian Kristi Givens, Kids of Excellence was created to bring high-quality, affordable early education to the 8th Ward/Bywater community, where access to quality care was limited.

Over the last 26 years, Kristi and her team have grown Kids of Excellence from a single center into three NAEYC nationally accredited, 5-star early learning centers proudly serving families across the city. Through every challenge from Hurricane Katrina and COVID-19 to this unimaginable tragedy, Kids of Excellence has remained a symbol of hope, excellence, and community resilience.

Insurance will only cover a portion of the damage, leaving us with a $1.1 million gap to rebuild. We are calling on our community to help us rise again so we can continue providing high-quality early education and care to New Orleans families who depend on us.

Kids of Excellence is a registered nonprofit early childhood education organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law through our nonprofit entity, Kids of Excellence Higgins (EIN: 47-3524230). All funds raised will be used exclusively for the Franklin Center rebuilding effort.

Your donations will help us:

• Replace essential learning materials, furniture, and supplies

• Rebuild the Franklin Center to continue serving future generations

Kids of Excellence is more than a school. It is a family, a safe haven, and a legacy of love and learning that has shaped generations of New Orleans children.

Your contribution will help us rebuild, restore, and continue the mission that began more than two decades ago — creating a world where every child has access to quality education, unending curiosity, and limitless opportunities.

Every dollar, every share, and every prayer brings us one step closer to home.

Testimonials

"Our son spent three years at Kids of Excellence, and we were sad to move on. Every day we knew he would be well-taken care of, would learn a ton, and most important of all would have a great time with his friends. From the infant room to the pre-K class, all his teachers were loving and nurturing. We have been particularly impressed with KoE's commitment to teachers' continuing education and with the opportunities given to parents to further develop their parenting skills." 

“My child has attended Kids of Excellence since he was one year of age. Over the last 2 years, he has received stellar support in all areas of development from the staff. This is a place that truly upholds the well-being of all children and is a refreshingly caring and qualified facility. Ms. Kristi has created a culture of excellence among her staff which transfers to the children. I am so glad that I discovered this place and will miss this community when my son matriculates to PreK-4 next year at a different school.”

"The teachers and staff are really nice people. They make learning fun and make the kids and parents feel like family.”

"I’d like to give all my gratitude to the teachers at KOE! My son has been cherished and encouraged every day. We’ve seen his early literacy skills develop and he loves the field trips! Thank you to the teachers who work hard every day to support our boy!”

“KOE has been great for my son. He’s almost 3 years old and since starting school, his behavior and speech have improved. The teachers are very patient and caring.”

“I love KOE! I will recommend them to everyone. My oldest son went for 1 year. I hated to see him move on. The teachers had great communication with all parents.”

"My daughter thrived at KOE and her teachers, her teachers were like family to us!”