Meet Our Team

At Harvest Learning Center, our people are what make our program exceptional. Our early childhood educators bring together professional training, hands-on experience, and a shared commitment to helping children learn, grow, and feel secure each day. With a strong culture of consistency and care, our team builds meaningful relationships that support academic development, social growth, and emotional well-being. Families in Chapel Hill trust Harvest Learning Center because our classrooms are led by educators who truly invest in every child.

HLC staff are celebrating Christmas in pajamas and holiday hats, sitting on a couch, in a living room decorated for Christmas with stockings and small decorated trees.

Our Core Values

  • Everything flows from our amazing and loving Creator. We look to Him for our vision, our curriculum, our outreach, our ministry, our strategies, how we address problems.

    Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

    Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”

  • We are guided by truth and honesty from sanitation, to safety, to snuggling.

  • Teamwork makes the dream work. We will always strive to build the most caring, competent team in our industry. Our employees are our most valuable asset and we treat them with respect by acknowledging the professionals they are by providing competitive compensation and investing in formal education and training.

  • We don’t meet just minimum standards. We want to excel, having parents feel blessed and not stressed that they can go to work each day knowing their children are not only cared for but loved.

  • Our clients are not just our customers. They are extended family. As the African proverb says, “It takes a village.” This care extends to our community through our philosophy and curriculum where we give back through nursing home visits and fundraisers for St. Jude’s Hospital.

  • We know that childcare is a necessity and we will do our best to keep costs at reasonable levels while never sacrificing quality.

A smiling woman with glasses and a man with a shaved head and beard, sitting at a table at a social event or celebration, with blue and purple lighting in the background.

Meet Our Founders

The owners and operators of Harvest Learning Center are Donnell and Lynette Mitchell. They have three sons and both hold Early Childhood Credentials from local accredited institutions.

Mr. Donnell holds an electrical engineering degree from N.C. State University and is an alumnus of UNC-Chapel Hill Kenan Flagler Business School. He is an IT manager with Glaxo-SmithKline and handles the business side of HLC.

Mrs. Lynette manages an amazing staff that includes a full-time director and eight to nine teachers. A former freelance writer and full-time journalist for major news organizations, Lynette holds a BA in Journalism and History from UNC-Chapel Hill. She also holds a Masters degree in Early Childhood Education from UNC Chapel Hill.

Mrs. Lashanda, Mrs. Ginger, Mrs. Ashley, and Mrs. Lynette standing outdoors in front of a wooden fence and lush green trees, wearing matching HLC shirts.

Meet Our Experienced Childcare Team

HLC teachers are committed to long term careers in early childhood education. We support our educators through ongoing training, annual team building retreats, and performance based bonuses that recognize their dedication and growth. All teachers maintain current first aid and CPR certification, and many hold college degrees and have been part of Harvest Learning Center for many years. This stability allows children to build strong relationships with their caregivers in a supportive, nurturing environment.

Interested in Joining Our Team?

If you are passionate about early childhood education, nurturing young learners, and growing within a caring community, we invite you to explore opportunities to join our team.

Explore Careers at HLC