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Barb Hill, left, is retiring as founder and director of Rainbow Promise Preschool after 24 years. Jennifer Colton will be taking over as preschool director. (Johnson Publications photo)

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Barb Hill spoke fondly of how many second generation students have attended Rainbow Promise Pre-school. Hill is pictured here with an example of two generations. Shalee Patterson, right, attended the preschool as a child, and now her son, Jett, has been a student there. Jett will be starting kindergarten at CCS in the fall. (Johnson Publications Photo)

Rainbow Promise director retires

    Barb Hill started Rainbow Promise Preschool 24 years ago.
    Hill is now ready to hand over the reigns of a legacy of early childhood Christian education to a new director.
    Rainbow Promise Preschool will open the new school year session Sept 3, with Jennifer Colton as the new director.
    “I feel very confident that Jennifer and assistant director, Jayne Henry, will do an excellent job with the children,” said Hill.
    Colton has been employed at the preschool for seven years.
    Hill said Colton has been gradually assuming responsibilities the last year in preparation for taking over as director.
In the beginning
    Hill was originally from Oshkosh.
    She attended Chadron State College and received a Bachelor’s degree in family consumer science with an endorsement in early childhood education.
    She and her husband, Harlow, moved to Imperial over 30 years ago. Her first job was working for Doris Johnson at Blue Jay Pre-school.
    After two years, she spent approximately six years working at Teddy Bear Preschool. Hill wanted to start her own preschool and contacted the First United Methodist Church to inquire about starting a Christian based preschool on church grounds.
    “The Methodist Church made it possible for the pre-school to exist and continue.  They have been very supportive over the years,” Hill said.
    She said she has always loved children, especially little children.
    “They learn so fast, and they get so excited,” she said smiling.
    Hill said she wanted include bible stories in the curriculum.
    “It’s always been God’s program,” she said. “When I tried to run it myself, that’s when I got into trouble. So, I gave it back to God, and it ran smoothly.”

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