Fun time early childhood academy
Who We Are & What We DoOur mission is to provide safe, quality, affordable education and care for children and parents from low-income working families and to prepare the children for kindergarten, ready to read and ready to learn!




with no other options . . .
Two women had a dream to nurture & educate kids close to home.
Decades ago, a band of determined educators teamed with parents to create Fun Time Nursery in the heart of Naples. Among this group were Alma and Herbert Cambridge and Ola Mae Mack. Together they dreamed and worked towards the day when children from their neighborhood could be nurtured and educated close to home.
“It just seemed natural to me that we had to provide for and teach our young children,” recalled Mrs. Cambridge. “At the time, there was no school for little children during the day, and the options for child care for children of color were nonexistent. We opened the doors to 12 students whose parents paid a very minimal tuition to get Fun Time started. Soon after, the United Fund began to help us, and then others in the community contributed.”
The Fun Time Nursery first opened its doors in 1961 as a small classroom within the Old Carver School under the direction of Mrs. Cambridge. The school was 100% African American until 1965, when Mrs. Pat Schultheis joined as a teacher and placed her son, Buddy, in Fun Time. Our easy relationship with integration began.
In 1967, Novella Williams joined the staff and remained until 1998, seeing Fun Time through its formative years as a center for child activities in the River Park neighborhood and as an education site for children from downtown. Mother Perry also worked at Fun Time as a cook and then Director.
Throughout its history, the early childhood development center focused on learning through a research-based, creative curriculum and worked to meet the needs of students and their parents, setting hours of operation around their work schedules. In 1975, the hours of operation were set at 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
In 2009, Fun Time moved from a 4,200-square-foot, 36-year-old trailer to its current 8,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility featuring six classrooms, a multipurpose room for parent meetings and staff events, the Founders’ Room, offices, a kitchen, two playgrounds and a garden.
The current building, with its safety, security and increased potential for delivery of educational opportunities, represents a vast improvement for students, teachers and administrators.
Ensuring the success of Fun Time is ensuring the success of future generations and our community.
caring for the children of our community
Meet our Board of Directors
A diverse and dedicated group of people who believe in educating tomorrows leaders today.

board chair
ann olson

Immediate past chair
marsha murphy

secretary
Kris Pfaehler

treasurer
RUSTY TROTH

asst. treasurer
roger schorr

director
Darrell Balmer

director
tom Campbell

Director
ron Ciesla

Director
kim dillon

Director
jackie fritsch

Director
doug johnson

Director
robin larkin

Director
DON Lawson

Director
Karen Lutz

Director
lynn nolan

director
tony urick
DIRECTORS EMERITI
MAUREEN DENMAN
OTTO IMMEL
MAUREEN O’GORMAN
MICHAEL WATKINS
JIM DERHAM
CRAIG JILK
SUSAN MANION
BOB POLIZZOTTO
SKIP ZINK
MARY FREY
MARY BETH JOHNS
CONNIE MESSNER
GARY ROOT
JANET GABLE
JINNY JOHNSON
DICK MUNRO
VAL TROTMAN
caring for the children of our community
Meet the Team
Our dedicated staff ensure these children are learning and having fun every day.

EDUCATION DIRECTOR
Olga Thiesen

TEACHER
Narcisa Cappelluti

TEACHER
Suchity Jordan

teacher
Joni Leedy

TEACHER
Norma Ramirez

teacher
Carmen Starkweather

TEACHER
Jenny Theodore

teacher
Gwenda Townsend
Students Enrolled
Children graduated
Committed Board & Staff
Years Caring For Children
Get In Touch
Location: 102 12th Street N, Naples, FL 34102
Telephone: (239) 261-8284
Email: moreinfo@FunTimeAcademy.org
School Hours: M-F: 6:30 am - 5:30 pm
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1.800.435.7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR AT www.800helpfla.com. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. FUN TIME EARLY CHILDHOOD ACADEMY SOLICITATION REGISTRATION NUMBER IS CH4543
