When children pick up a picture book about paleontologists digging for fossils, they’re not just learning vocabulary or learning to read—they’re discovering that science happens right in their own backyard. That’s exactly what happened when two Nebraska women collaborated to…
What happens when childcare providers receive the right support at the right time? Teresa Dressman, a family childcare provider in Superior, was ready to walk away from her career—overwhelmed and uncertain. Today, she’s mentoring others, presenting at conferences, and empowering…
guest blog by Jessica Vogt, CoordinatorFamilies 1st Partnership (community collaborative providing services to Arthur, Chase, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Hayes, Hitchcock, Keith, Lincoln, Perkins, and Red Willow Counties) In September, Families 1st Partnership hosted a Recovery Walk in North Platte to…
Nebraska is launching the Boys in HEAL initiative to engage boys in careers within healthcare, education, and literacy. By focusing on experiential learning and mentorship, the program aims to counter declining male representation in these essential fields, promote purpose-driven career choices, and ultimately strengthen communities while addressing workforce shortages.
by Sami Bradley, MaED. LIMHP, IMH-E®Vice President, Early Childhood Mental HealthNebraska Children and Families Foundation | Rooted in Relationships We spend a lot of time wondering what builds our children’s self-esteem. Is it the praise we give them? Is it…
Erika Fink is a part of a recent Nebraska Growing Readers (NGR) Writers Workshop held for Sixpence home visitors and staff, Rooted in Relationships coaches, and other early childhood partners. NGR, which is a Nebraska Children and Families Foundation initiative, holds these workshops to encourage the production of local content that will be meaningful to the state’s children, families, and communities.
At the Schuyler Library, there are parents and children gathered around a table laid out with dinosaur and patriotic red, white, and blue cookies. There are doting grandparents, representatives of Nebraska Growing Readers (NGR), and the librarian. There is the…
Beyond School Bell’s Conservation Management Internship began in 2017 and has since been an opportunity for students to learn more about conservation by hearing from professionals in the field and by engaging in hands-on service learning from identifying plants, trees, and invasive species in places like Gjerlof Prairie and Glacier Creek Preserve to seeing how undergraduate students do research at UNL’s Cedar Point Research Station.
Rural Nebraska faces a child care crisis, prompting communities to adopt the more flexible Family Child Care Home II (FCCHII) model instead of traditional centers. This approach reduces costs, eases staffing challenges, and allows high schoolers to help. Communities like Overton and Friend are successfully implementing FCCHIIs to meet local needs.
A partnership between Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s Beyond School Bells (BSB), Nebraska Growing Readers (NGR), Unite for Literacy, and Linked to Literacy funds literacy efforts. In March of this year, by offering grants of up to $2,500 for literacy projects connected to summer programming, Beyond School Bells implemented what Education Commisioner Brian Maher described as the Department of Education’s vision of fostering “a culture of proficient and lifelong readers in Nebraska.”
Alex Chapa’s journey illustrates his transformation through fatherhood, coaching, and seeking second chances. Overcoming a challenging upbringing, Alex embraced help from a PALS Coach, which led him to stability, confidence, and a renewed purpose as a father. Committed to breaking cycles, he aims to provide a nurturing environment for his children.
Because it was clear that the cross-community connections were so important, the Rooted team decided to hold their first-ever statewide meeting of coaches and coordinators. As Christen Million describes it, “we wanted to have time when we could share housekeeping information, but we really wanted to make a concerted effort to have everyone collaborate, talk to each other, get to know each other.”
Nandi Kumondan, a system-impacted youth, turned her challenging experiences into advocacy for young people facing similar struggles. After her mother’s accident and subsequent passing, Nandi navigated legal obstacles without support. Through initiatives like Connected Youth Initiative, she now advocates for foster youth rights, ensuring they receive essential resources and support.
Rosa Alvarado made reading part of Darlita’s routine. At each home visit, she would dedicate story time where Darlita’s mother or father would sit with her and read. She says of the routine she has established, “what we are trying to do here with our Sixpence is to create a culture of literacy.” This built-in routine of shared-reading has paid off. Not only has Darlita begun to engage with books, but she has also created her own safe space for reading, where she can self-regulate her emotions.
Challenging behavior was identified among the top three stressors in early childhood care in a 2023 study by University of Virginia Professor Lieny Jeon. This is consistent with what has been reported from Nebraska’s early childhood professionals and family members. When caregivers are stressed, it can have significant and long-lasting repercussions, including difficulty with children knowing how to experience and regulate their emotions, strained relationships between the parent/caregiver and child, and negative influence on a child’s physical and mental health.
That’s why a recent joint evaluation by Nebraska Children and Families Foundation and the Munroe Meyer Institute has been so encouraging for Circle of Security, an evidence-based program supported by Rooted in Relationships.
Josh Cramer soon returned to his home state of Nebraska where he took on his position at Nebraska Children and where he said to Mike McGuffee of Unite for Literacy, “I would like to see Nebraska lead the nation in family literacy programs.” The two then began discussing a way to make Nebraska Unite’s first statewide literacy effort.
Be sure to check out Anne Meeker Waton’s keynote address at the 2025 Sixpence Child Care Conference in Kearney on Saturday, May 31. The Conference is for Sixpence Child Care Partnership Coaches, Program Coordinators, and their Childcare Partner Programs and Center-based teachers and support staff. Registration closes on May 9.
Camp Catch-Up held an appreciation event at Platte River State Park, celebrating volunteers crucial to its mission. Director Mona Tarin and guest speaker Gil Green III emphasized the transformative impact of the camp on children’s lives. The evening honored dedicated volunteers and community partnerships, highlighting the significance of support in fostering hope for campers.
“Your impact on these kids can be monumental,” said Gil Green III during the recent Camp Catch-Up Volunteer Appreciation Event. Camp Catch-Up creates a powerful space for siblings in foster care to reconnect, heal, and simply be kids together—often for the first time in a long time. In this blog, we share Gil’s heartfelt story about his own experience at camp, and how those few days surrounded by connection and support helped shape the course of his life.
The Beyond School Bells Innovation Invitational focused on empowering youth through purpose-driven afterschool programs. Key discussions addressed the challenges youth face, emphasizing belonging, engagement, and community. Experts encouraged educators to foster resilience and growth, while innovative initiatives aim to enhance Nebraska’s Expanded Learning Opportunities, ultimately inspiring young leaders and shaping future educational experiences.
Suzi and Kendra Muhsman recently showed their civic pride in the Schuyler community through the books they wrote for Nebraska Growing Readers. In the process, they promoted family engagement in shared reading, a community commitment toward literacy, and an intergenerational approach toward reading. Learn more about how this mother-daughter duo connected with their community and others beyond.
Nebraska Growing Readers (NGR) has plenty of local online books you can relate to spring that can help celebrate the season even on those one-off bad-weather days.
Rooted in Relationships will be a part of the statewide collaborative that has been invited to join the current cohort of Zero to Three’s Financing Policy Project for 2025.
Sometimes, the little things aren’t all that little. So when Yanki Smith makes a spiral flourish with her hand to indicate writing with a pen and says her contribution to the writing of Moving Day Made Fun was “a little…
Nebraska’s Ravenna area is now the 75th community to partner with Communities for Kids (C4K)! This milestone marks continued progress in expanding access to quality early childhood education across the state. With a dedicated core team, Ravenna is working towards sustainable solutions for childcare needs.
“It could have been us.” Powerful words spoken by a young advocate during Legislative Days, capturing the real-life stakes behind the bills debated at this year’s event. Designed to educate young people on the legislative and policymaking process, the event gives youth leaders a platform to push for meaningful change. Hosted by Connected Youth Initiative (CYI), an initiative of Nebraska Children and Families Foundation (Nebraska Children), Legislative Days emphasizes civic engagement as a tool for personal growth and community betterment. For many participants, this event marks the beginning of their advocacy journey, setting them on paths to future leadership roles.
At Camp Catch-Up’s Winter Carnival, siblings separated by foster care reunite for a day filled with games, connection, and joy. From bouncing balloons to heartfelt gift exchanges, every moment is about strengthening bonds and creating cherished memories. For many, this is the only time they see their siblings all year—making every hug, laugh, and shared experience priceless.
Rooted in Relationships (RiR) is an initiative by Nebraska Children aimed at transforming early childhood mental health through community collaboration. By providing childcare providers with training, RiR addresses behavioral challenges in young children, enhancing their social-emotional skills. Recently, the team was recognized nationally for their work.
The Engineering Pathway Program in Nebraska ignites student interest in STEM fields through hands-on projects and mentorship. Launched by Beyond School Bells and the Peter Kiewit Foundation, it fosters interconnected learning from elementary to high school, highlighting girls, rural youth, and underserved communities, while nurturing future engineers and leaders like mentee Britney Alarcon-Panzi.
Fifteen rural communities across Nebraska are joining forces with Communities for Kids (C4K), the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), and Nebraska Extension to address a pressing challenge: recruiting and retaining early childhood educators in rural areas. The initiative is…
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to education, with students across the country experiencing disruptions that have left many grappling with unfinished learning. To address these challenges, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 established the Elementary and Secondary…
Driven by a mission to create positive change for Nebraska’s children, Beyond School Bells focuses on providing K-12 students with high-quality expanded learning opportunities (ELOs) that promote hands-on, engaged learning. The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) and Beyond School Bells…
Driven by a mission to create positive change for Nebraska’s children, Beyond School Bells focuses on providing K-12 students with high-quality expanded learning opportunities (ELOs) that promote hands-on, engaged learning. The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) and Beyond School Bells…
Driven by a mission to create positive change for Nebraska’s children, Beyond School Bells (an initiative of Nebraska Children and Families Foundation) focuses on providing K-12 students with high-quality expanded learning opportunities (ELOs) that promote hands-on, engaged learning. The Nebraska…
NGR, an initiative of the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, has partnered with Schuyler and other communities like it to provide books in areas where they are harder to find or to populations who benefit from access to free books.
Changemakers celebrates efforts in Nebraska to strengthen families and communities. The event is hosted by the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation and focused on community partnership and innovations in workforce development. Highlights included presentations on youth development, community collaboratives, and the honored Peter Kiewit Foundation’s contributions to social progress and opportunity.
The Peter Kiewit Foundation was recently awarded the 2024 Grace Abbott Award for their investment in the growth of Nebraska’s children.
Shawna Rischling first became aware of COSP through her teaching in a preschool classroom for the Alliance Public School system. Her program is funded by Sixpence, which requires programs to serve at-risk children in the community, and the initiative told her of a new training in COSP. Circle of Security trains parents and other caregivers in developing strong bonds that give their children the security and confidence to explore, learn, grow, and build positive relationships.
Since its beginning, NGR has made creating stories that speak to the diverse landscapes, the experiences, the languages, and the cultures of Nebraska a central part of its mission. And now, NGR is not only encouraging such local content, it is working with writer’s in a series of workshops to create Nebraska-related books. Kim Parsons has lived in Schuyler for over 50 years and is writing a book about the sweet corn farming that has been a part of her family for 21 years.
Sixpence Vice President Stephanni Renn asked Maddie to write a book about Jeter for the new Nebraska Growing Readers program supported by Sixpence , which resulted in Rare is Beautiful. In June of 2024, Maddie and Jeter were able to attend an MFDM conference at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and were provided with copies of the book to distribute there.
David Santos, facing homelessness and underemployment in Nebraska, was on the brink of leaving for Colorado with no concrete plan. However, a timely call from Zach Preble, a PALS Coach from Central Plains Center for Services, changed his path. Zach, funded by the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s Connected Youth Initiative (CYI), provided coaching focused on David’s strengths, connecting him to resources like housing and job training.
Literacy is a ritual in the Mohmand household. Fariha Mohmand is an Afghan refugee who was an instructor for company management instruction and a university professor. She moved here to live with her “American Family,” a university professor named David…
The community of Thedford, population 211, lives inside one of the 11 Nebraska counties that were classified as a child care desert when they began partnering with the C4K initiative in 2023. The entirety of the county had no licensed child care at all, and residents were worried their town was dying. They applied for American Rescue Plan/LB1014 funding, and as soon as they got their notice of award, got right to work.
“Give a group of moms a problem that impacts their children and they will get it done,” say Karen O’Hare, President of the board for the Ainsworth Child Development Center. The Ainsworth community came together to serve the local need for childcare.
Rooted in Relationshsips offered Pyramid Model training to South Omaha early childhood professionals entirely in Spanish, translated materials and resources, and emphasized a neighborhood approach that encouraged community ownership of the work being done. Stacy Scholten says they held planning meetings and provider collaboration meetings in Spanish, as well as conducting training and coaching in Spanish. And because the Rooted’s name didn’t translate well into Spanish, they instead collaborated with the local group to call the project, Cultivando Generaciones Futuras.
Food4Hope, in partnership with Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, is revolutionizing the local food scene in Beatrice, Nebraska. The collaboration, supported by the USDA’s LFPA Program, connects local farmers to communities to enhance food security and promote economic resilience. Through initiatives like Local Palooza and educational programs, Food4Hope aims to stabilize local food economies and envision a vibrant community space for all.
Renae Norenberg, who has owned and operated Nae’s Away from Home childcare in Fremont since 1990, says, “my kids just get ecstatic. They watch for the mail. It’s like they know when those books are going to be coming. They want to open the door to see if they have a little box on the porch. We can’t open them fast enough.” Norenberg is talking about the free boxes of NGR books that are sent to early childhood educators who are registered with the program.
Rooted in Relationships now faces an existential moment: what will the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation initiative that celebrated its first 10 years in 2023 look like without the woman who started it all?
Janelle Nissen has been involved with Nebraska Growing Readers since it began in 2023 when Laura Cady began working closely with Indian Hill as a test site for writing books and family engagement. Thanks to Nissen and Cady, it has since been a forerunner in hosting literacy events for the program. As Nissen puts it, “NGR hits our mission of that two-generational home-to-school connection as well as getting books in the home.” What Nissen is doing is building a literacy community.
This year, Million and 3 other state-level representatives from Rooted in Relationships were able to attend as well as 3 staff from the Munroe-Meyer Institute, the evaluation group for Rooted’s work. In addition, each Rooted in Relationships community sent at least 2 representatives, including coaches, coordinators, and providers.
Growing the Good Life 