Sponge was founded in 2005 by Jackie Friedman-Mighdoll as the first language program of its kind on the West Coast. What began in Seattle’s Mt. Baker neighborhood with a handful of passionate teachers and curious young learners has since grown into a vibrant community dedicated to raising globally-minded children.
In its next chapter, Sponge was guided by its second owners, Khawar and Heike. As passionate, hands-on leaders, they expanded Jackie’s original vision and firmly established Sponge as a leader in children’s language education across the Pacific Northwest. Their dedication to families, teachers, and schools helped shape Sponge into the trusted program it is today.
Nearly two decades later, Sponge continues to thrive. We now offer Spanish, Mandarin, French, Japanese and German classes both in our learning centers and in partnership with elementary schools and preschools across the region.
As the new owner, I am honored to carry this legacy forward. Our mission remains the same: to make language learning joyful, immersive, and accessible, led by caring teachers who inspire curiosity and confidence in every child.
We look forward to welcoming your family into the Sponge community and helping your kids discover the lifelong benefits of language and culture.
Anthony
A note from sponge's founder
My parents have often wondered how language and culture and travel became so important to me. I tell them that the “Kids Around the World” bedspread I had as a little girl seeped into my dreams, and we laugh. But I think there’s some truth to this. The things we are exposed to as young children help shape who we become as adults.
When I was pregnant with my first son, I read Dr. Lise Eliot’s wonderful book What’s Going on in There? : How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life And, in the process discovered the amazing work on second language acquisition being done by Dr. Pat Kuhl at the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences which you can now see in her TED talk.
I knew how important it was to me to raise globally-minded children, and it became even clearer that starting young was the right time. After 18 months of research, with the support of local parents and with a core group of passionate teachers, I opened Sponge in the fall of 2005. It was the first language programs of its kind on the west coast.
Our teacher group has grown over the years, but it remains a dynamic and diverse group. We learn from each other–both skills and language and culture. The families in our community have also expanded and grown, taking us along with them. The babies who started classes when Sponge was born are now elementary school students. We offer language classes at elementary schools, too, to help them and their friends continue on this journey. And, we continue to support their families and the greater Seattle community through cultural days, educational events, donations and scholarships.
We hope that you’ll join us on this rewarding journey.
Jackie