For so many years, having a disability meant being labeled or underestimated for the rest of your life. In 1958, the public education system didn't have a place for any children with special needs. In every space, individuals with disabilities would be categorized, written off, or separated. Thankfully, Sunshine School & Development Center was founded then as Benton County Sunshine School with a commitment to seeing potential in individuals, not problems. Since 1958, Sunshine School & Development Center has served thousands of people in the Northwest Arkansas community by offering a range of services in order to benefit every child and client that we serve. Because of our work, our families are better advocates, our students aren't limited by their labels, and adults with disabilities thrive in their communities. The inaugural class was held in the basement of the First United Methodist Church in Rogers, Arkansas and consisted of two children with disabilities, one with Down Syndrome and the other with a severe brain injury resulting in developmental delays. The families of these two children – the Clardys and the Brileys – needed a place for their own children to learn, so they started Sunshine School. Mrs. Clardy and Mrs. Briley were the teachers of their two children and by the end of the first month, six more children had joined the basement classroom. In 1961, through the support of friends and neighbors, a new building was built in Vaughn, AR. For 30 years, young people touched by disability went through the doors of the school in Vaughn and graduated with skills that would serve them throughout life. After multiple relocations to serve the growing class sizes and needs of the community, a new idea began to take shape. In 1991, the public school system finally began integrating children with developmental delays into classrooms. In response, Sunshine started to focus on programs which included Early Intervention, Community Support, and a Preschool Center. Sunshine's new programs catered to individuals of ALL ages with developmental disabilities and delays. Sunshine School continued to grow exponentially and soon outgrew its facilities.  Once again, through the generosity and the care of the community, another facility was funded. In January 2007, the agency moved to the current 40,000 square foot facility on Woods Ln. in Rogers, where over 500 people a year are currently served. By 2011, attendance had tripled and three new classrooms had opened including advanced educational technology. To better reflect the diversity of the ages and the abilities of clients served now, the name of the organization was changed from Benton County Sunshine School to Sunshine School & Development Center in 2013 and the Mission, Vision, and Values were re-energized in 2022.