by Jeff Cole, Network Lead, Beyond School Bells Engaging, playful, inspiring, purposeful, youth-centered, hopeful, fun – the future of afterschool and summer learning in Nebraska is bright. That is the overarching takeaway from the first-ever Nebraska ELO Innovation Invitational. Nebraska…
A State of Innovation
It feels like something from David Cronenburg’s The Fly. A young man stands in the middle of a room; his eyes bulge from his head, black and shiny. But this isn’t human turned insect and those aren’t eyes, although what’s…
Tagged with: beyond school bells, Connected Youth Initiatve, Exponential Destiny, innovation, STEM, Virtual Reality
Posted in Cradle to career, News and Events, Teen/Early Adulthood
Posted in Cradle to career, News and Events, Teen/Early Adulthood
Early Childhood Champions Boost Professionals
Christina Sigbornson knew from a young age that she wanted to teach but wasn’t sure with what age group. Even though she thought it would be elementary students, she began working at a child development center while in college. That’s…
Regional Coaching Buildout Provides Needed Structure
Tracy Went emphasizes the growth of coaching across the state, but asks an important question, “there is so much coaching going on and though so many supports exist, there is always more need. How can we continue to build those…
Chloe Mcshannon Uses Lived Experience to Positively Influence K-12 Students’ Lives
One of the best things about Nebraska Children and Families Foundation is the people. Nebraska Children is made up of passionate people dedicated to making positive change. Most recently, Chloe Mcshannon has embodied the role of a young leader. As…
Tagged with: afterschool, beyond school bells, foster care
Posted in Teen/Early Adulthood, Uncategorized
Posted in Teen/Early Adulthood, Uncategorized
Nebraska Children Celebrates 25 Years of Positive Change, Special Guests, and Generous Supporters at Changemakers Luncheon
On Tuesday, October 25, Nebraska Children hosted Changemakers, our yearly celebration of people who positively transform children’s lives. We had many people, organizations, and entities to thank. What makes Changemakers so unique, however, is the fact that Nebraska Children has…
GetConnected 2022 Welcomes Learning Leaders and a Passion for Spreading Expanded Learning Throughout the State
Beyond School Bells (BSB), Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s afterschool network, and partners continue to create quality expanded learning programs (ELOs) throughout the state. Luckily, we aren’t alone in our work. On September 19, hundreds of afterschool learning leaders gathered…
Shift Happens: Communities for Kids Reflects on Thriving Children 2022
When it comes to change, Buffett Early Childhood Institute’s Thriving Children, Families, and Communities Conference demonstrates it. So do childcare providers. So do we. Early childhood professionals had to constantly swerve throughout the pandemic to accommodate ever-changing needs. This yearly…
Tagged with: communities for kids, early childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, early years, sixpence
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted in Uncategorized
Gabby Shares Her Good News and Sixpence Partnership Takeaways!
As a participant in Sixpence home visits, Gabby and her son Kaden had fun and learned from an early childhood expert. An integral part of Sixpence, home visits provide parents with the opportunity to work with highly skilled professionals. The home visitors support the families to assess and work through children’s developmental milestones and teach parents to become their child’s best champions and, most important, teachers. Read more about this Nebraska Children initiative.
Tagged with: early childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, sixpence
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
Passion Projects: Young People LEAD the Summer to Make their Voices Heard!
Thanks to the Nebraska Children Youth Advisory Board and our Assistant VP of Policy and Leadership, Lincoln Arneal, the CYI Youth Advisory Board, and many young leaders, we finished the third year of LEAD the Summer! First, we’d like to tell you a bit about CYI. A Nebraska Children initiative, CYI works with young people between 14-26 who experienced foster care, child welfare, homelessness, human trafficking, juvenile justice and probation, and other challenges.
Together, resilient young people and our organization create positive outcomes, especially during retreats like LEAD the Summer, where young people use their voices to create a better Nebraska. Read how resilient young people and our organization create positive outcomes, especially during retreats like LEAD the Summer, where young people use their voices to create a better Nebraska.
Auburn Sixpence CCP Shines a Spotlight on Local Providers
Childcare providers are a shining example of indispensable professionals. They care for our children so parents can work. They create stimulating, educational, and memorable learning experiences for children during the most critical times of their lives. And unfortunately, they are often overlooked, under-compensated, and left in the dark. Nebraska Children and Families Foundation and partners like Auburn Sixpence help families thrive. Sixpence, one of our early childhood initiatives, aims to promote this mission, especially for children 0-3.
Tagged with: early childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, early years, infant mental health, sixpence, sixpence CCP, toddlers
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
Auburn Sixpence CCP Updates: What a Year it’s Been!
There’s no better indicator of community well-being than a real-life partner’s story! Today, we asked Auburn Sixpence Program Coordinator Tyson Wessels and Sixpence CCP Coach Anne Bennett to fill us in on all the great work they’re doing to support Auburn, Nebraska’s childcare providers! Find out the exciting things that Auburn Sixpence is accomplishing.
Tagged with: early childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, early childhood programs, early years, sixpence, toddlers
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
Schuyler Sixpence Success: Children Sing the Song of Thriving Throughout Nebraska
“Sixpence has also favored autonomy and security within our family, as well as an increased ability of creativity and imagination in my children. As a parent, Sixpence has helped me create stronger ties with my children and with society.” Read more about Andrea’s positive takeaways from our Sixpence program!
Meet the New Face of Camp Catch Up: Chloe Mcshannon!
When Chloe Mcshannon ran away from her foster care placements as a teenager, one day she realized that if she didn’t return to school, she’d miss her final exams. That, among many other turning points, led this remarkable young woman to where she is today—as a Camp Catch-Up intern. Read more.
Tyeisha Thompson Reveals the Importance of Intentional Spaces for Young People Who Experienced Foster Care and Shares Her Journey of Overcoming the System
Tyeisha Thompson, a CYI participant and recipient of the prestigious LEAP grant, talks about how she uses her design passion and newfound support to create new, safe spaces for young people like her who experienced foster care.
To Taiwan and Beyond: Beyond School Bells’ Think Make Create™ Trailer Takes Nebraska Expanded Learning Opportunities across the Globe
Learning can veer into countless directions and exciting terrains.
Afterschool provides that space, not only throughout Nebraska but the world. As you probably know, we all learn differently, but we know one thing for certain: when we are engaging ourselves and our children, our capacity for success is limitless.
In a rapidly changing, fast-paced world, our great state needs to retain and grow young, driven, and innovative professionals. There’s simply no better place than afterschool – wherever you may be – to partake in quality learning that can spark future careers.
Find out how Nebraska Children’s afterschool initiative, Beyond School Bells’ Jeff Cole and his daughter created a formidable team that’s taking afterschool halfway across the world, all the way to Taiwan and back!
Tagged with: after school program, after school programs, afterschool, afterschool program, afterschool programs, beyond school bells, elo, elos, middle childhood, STEM, STEM learning
Posted in Middle Childhood, News and Events
Posted in Middle Childhood, News and Events
Beyond the Books: Beyond School Bells and Young Entrepreneurs of the Future Omaha Help K-12 Students Work Toward their Dreams
In 2018, when married couple Breann and Travis Hines began the Omaha, Nebraska-based nonprofit, Young Entrepreneurs of the Future Omaha (YEF), they set out on a mission. Their goals were to inspire the vision of youth entrepreneurship and develop self-reliance…
Tagged with: after school program, after school programs, afterschool, afterschool program, afterschool programs, beyond school bells, elo, elos, middle childhood, STEM, STEM learning
Posted in Middle Childhood, News and Events
Posted in Middle Childhood, News and Events
Communities of Hope: Celebrating Nebraska’s Progress Towards Well-being and a Vision for the Future
After a 2-year delay, Bring Up Nebraska partners were finally able to gather in Lincoln to celebrate how Nebraska has become a national leader on building a community-based well-being system! On April 13-14, leaders from many of the community collaboratives across the state met with state and national partners in Lincoln.
The Power of Partnerships; the Essence of Failure: Beyond School Bells, Young Entrepreneurs of the Future, and VentureLab Empower Youth
Meet our new generation of businesspeople!
Girls create DJing businesses. Kids embody different food truck roles. Youth operate socially-conscious clothing brands and learn braiding, cosmetology, budgeting, and pricing, all thanks to your support of our Beyond School Bells initiative, VentureLab, and Young Entrepreneurs of the Future Omaha!
In Living Watercolor: Grai Gray Paints a Vibrant Future of Resilience with Connected Youth Initiative Supports
Grai Gray (they/them) is making a name for themselves in every area of their lives. From featuring a watercolor piece in the University of Nebraska Omaha’s (UNO) spring juried art show to doing digital illustrations, Grai keeps their world busy and colorful.
Pretty Fire: Loup Valley Childhood Initiative and Partners Light Up the Stage with a Play and Dinner to Honor Childcare Providers
When the Loup Valley Childhood Initiative (LVCI) decided to host almost 30 early care providers for the Crane River Theatre’s moving play, Pretty Fire, the team sought to celebrate providers and a love for the performing arts. LVCI is a community-driven team that works with Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s Communities for Kids (C4K), our early childhood initiative that provides technical expertise, supports, and solutions that suit each location’s early care and education needs for children birth-5. Read more about their innonative approach to honoring childcare providers.
Nebraska Child Abuse Prevention Fund Board Recognizes Nebraska Children’s Community Collaborative Partners in Supporting Thriving Families
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, which marks a time when Nebraska Children and Families Foundation reaffirms our commitment to prevention. As we work toward a thriving Nebraska, we and our community partners strengthen families by preventing problems before they start. Read how you can get involved in community collaboratives to strengthen children and families!
“No More Band-aids”: Community Partnerships Build Better Early Childhood Systems
There may be truth to the old adage, “it takes a village,” when it comes to developing quality early childhood care systems. After all, the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality concluded that the coordinated systems needed to impact families’…
Tagged with: Cherry County Early Childhood, Childcare Centers, communities for kids, Dakota County Early Childhood, Early Childhood Community Coordinators, early childhood development, early childhood education, Holt County Early Childhood, in-home care, Madison County Early Childhood, preschool development grant, Rooted in Relationships, step up to quality
Posted in Early Childhood, Uncategorized
Posted in Early Childhood, Uncategorized
Christen Million Shares Why We Need to Close the Gap of Systemic Inequities
“I always knew I wanted to work with children. My vision for what that looked like changed and grew throughout my undergraduate program and the beginning of my career. Ultimately, everything led me to exactly where I needed to be, which is currently an Assistant Vice President of Early Childhood Mental Health with the Rooted in Relationships initiative at Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, and one of the co-leads for the Nebraska Pyramid Leadership Team.”
Christen Million, one of Nebraska Children’s experts, reflects on her passion for working with children, along with her future plans.
Full-Service Community Schools Deliver an Innovative Approach to Supporting Students, Teachers, and Families Alike!
Nebraska Children and the Nebraska Department of Education are addressing pandemic-related setbacks through the Together, Better Initiative, a deliberate series of efforts geared toward strengthening students and families in the most essential ways. Among these efforts is the piloted project, Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS).
Stick Creek Kids and Communities for Kids Open the Doors to Quality Early Childhood Care and Education
Stick Creek Kids and Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s Communities for Kids have worked hard to arrive at their destination: more quality early care and education in Nebraska. Surprises, lessons, and discoveries were all part of seeing Stick Creek Kids brought to reality. But whenever the water levels rose, the community rose up as well.
Chance Encounter: Aiesha Rahn Shares How Her Commitment to Helping Families, Being Present, and Making Connections Has Led to Her Current Success
Aiesha Rahn doesn’t believe in coincidences. In fact, her seemingly chance encounters with various Nebraska Children and Families Foundation staff have led her to where she is today – as an Assistant Vice President of Early Childhood Programs and a recipient of an Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health®. Read about how a series of surprises have moved Aiesha into her current success and how she recommends you can get there too!
Tagged with: early childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, early years, sixpence, sixpence CCP, sixpence homebase, toddlers
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
In-Home and Center-Based Providers Agree: Circle of Security Classroom™ Promotes Healthy and Secure Relationships!
Imagine feeling free to try new things and explore, then being able to re-enter in for reassurance, support, and anything else you need before you set back out again. The whole time, knowing that no matter what you did or where you went, there was always that safe base for you to come back home. Read how our early childhood mental health experts and partners work throughout Nebraska to implement the Circle of Security Classroom (COSP-C™) approach, which helps teachers and childcare providers forge supportive bonds with children!
Tagged with: child care, child well being, childcare, COSP, COSP Classroom, early childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, early childhood mental health, early childhood programs, early years, Rooted in Relationships, social emotional, social emotional learning
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
Nothing to Hide: A’zja Reveals How Her Past Gave Her the Strength to Succeed
As a teenager, A’jza escaped her family and hid for three weeks in a friend’s closet. She’s also walked herself to therapy, deciding that she needed mental health support. She learned Omaha’s public transit system as a child, worked a job since she was 12, and has been mistaken for someone almost twice her age – with good reason. Read about how, with a Connected Youth Initiative and Beyond School Bells internship, this remarkable young woman stepped into a thriving career.
Tagged with: after school program, afterschool, afterschool program, afterschool programs, beyond school bells, cares act, connected youth initiative, Connected Youth Initiatve, early childhood development, elo, elos, foster care, foster care system, older youth, project everlast, Project Everlast Lincoln, Project Everlast Omaha
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted in Uncategorized
Retelling Her Story: Madison Honeyman Uses Her Voice and Connected Youth Initiative’s Internship to Create a New Future for Herself and Other Former Foster Youth
Madison Honeyman is an activist, slam poet, youth advocate, and history buff. Best of all, she’s retelling her past experiences in the foster care system, thanks to CYI supports to create a better tomorrow for other systems-involved young people.
Nebraska Infant Mental Health Forges New Alliance
Holly Hatton-Bowers knows the powerful moment of watching families struggle and trying to build positive bonds from analyzing such interactions. In a practicum where she had to employ video reflection, Hatton-Bowers tells of a woman who described herself as a…
Tiny Toilets, Small Worlds, and Big Partnerships: Boone Beginnings and Communities for Kids Pave the Way for Quality
Boone Beginnings has been involved with Communities for Kids (C4K) since 2018. The team modeled their program with an impeccable eye for detail and other preexisting centers as examples. And yes, that includes everything down to the tiny toilets. Read the good, the challenging and the funny parts behind Boone Beginnings’ quality childcare journey.
Tagged with: child care, childcare, Collective Impact, communities for kids, early childhood education, education, preschool
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
For Every Door That Closes, Another Appears: Americle Lends Former Foster Youth Her Secrets for Resiliency and Transformation
On her 18th birthday, the doors slammed behind her – and they were the doors to prison. Now, at 21 years old, Americle continues to focus on self-improvement. Part of her plan includes participating in PALS coaching, part of Central Plains Center for Services (CPCS), and Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s Connected Youth Initiative (CYI). An older youth initiative, CYI provides supports and services to young people like Americle who have experienced incarceration or foster care, among other challenges. Read about her transformative journey and supportive resources.
At Home in Nebraska: McCook and Communities for Kids Support In-Home Providers
In 2019, when McCook decided to increase access to childcare, they didn’t know what the future would bring. In 2021, the community came incredibly far, but they’re still surging ahead. Read about their impressive strides to create quality early care and programs.
Marching to the Beat of Quality Care: Gering Communities for Kids Creates Magnetic Reminders of Providers’ Value
Gering Communities for Kids (C4K) prides itself in building a brighter future for their families through community engagement. As an organization that drives home the same mission, Nebraska Children and Families Foundation couldn’t agree more. In our minds, we can accomplish some incredible feats, including creating quality childcare for children 0-5. Our initiative, Communities for Kids (C4K), accomplishes this goal in partnership with communities like Gering. Read more about how this newer C4K team creates quality care solutions.
Lincoln Littles’ Story: If We Speak Up about Childcare, Our Communities Will Listen
We’re glad to kick off the first blog in a series that showcases Communities for Kids teams across Nebraska! What better place to start than right here in Lincoln, with Lincoln Littles? Read about how this team discovered its joys and challenges in creating childcare.
To See and Be Seen: Denise Daugherty Leaves Her Difficult Past Behind to Find Inspiration, a New Career, and Outlook
Meet Denise Daugherty.
“Now I do what makes me happy. I’m not worried about others. The reason I got into trouble was that I needed to love and protect people.” Denise Daughtery reveals how she pushed beyond foster care and incarceration and into her dreams with Beyond School Bells, Connected Youth Initiative, and Central Plains Center for Services’ coaching and support. Read more.
Tagged with: (Re)Connecting Youth, after school programs, afterschool, afterschool program, afterschool programs, beyond school bells, CARESAct, connected youth initiative, Connected Youth Initiatve, elo, expanded learning opportunities, foster care, foster care system, foster youth, project everlast, Project Everlast Lincoln, Project Everlast Omaha
Posted in News and Events, Systems, Teen/Early Adulthood
Posted in News and Events, Systems, Teen/Early Adulthood
Communities for Kids Translates Passion and Knowledge into Action
Wendy Gwennap, the Early Childhood Community Coordinator for Adams County, admits that before she started her position, she was unaware of the challenges migrant Spanish-speaking families face when they come to the U.S. “I was ignorant of what they go…
Tagged with: bilingual initiatives, communities for kids, community collaboratives, PDG funding, Rooted in Relationships, sixpence
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted in Uncategorized
CARES Act: Nebraska Children and Partners Set the Stage for Positive Change – and So Do Young People Who Experienced Foster Care
How do Nebraska Children and Families Foundation and partners create positive change? We work through and with our communities, especially our young people. As far as we’re concerned, they are the catalysts for transformation! Thanks to the power of CYI and Beyond School Bells, our afterschool network, Jessi said that she and our partners put CARES Act dollars to good use. Now, young leaders are changing children’s lives for the better!
Strong, Strong…Nebraska Strong: LEAP fellows and Nebraska Children Staff Share LEAP Strategies for Success
We’re so glad that our staff and Connected Youth Initiative participants joined leaders from across the nation for a two-day LEAP convening on November 3-4, hosted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and organized by LEAP Young Fellows and partners. Read more about how LEAP creates positive change for young people who experienced foster care.
Wonderschool Modernizes Early Childcare Businesses in Nebraska
Fear of change can be hard . . . in fact so hard that Forbes reports 62% of us would rather remain in our comfort zone even if change might mean something better for us. When it comes to childcare,…
Afterschool’s Impact: “It Prepared Me for Being a Leader in the Adult World; I Have No Fear of Leading Adult Men or Women in STEM.”
Afterschool’s Impact: “It Prepared Me for Being a Leader in the Adult World; I Have No Fear of Leading Adult Men or Women in STEM.” Read more about Kathy.
Friendship Bracelet: How Lauren Mott Created Afterschool Engagement for Herself and Students
When Lauren Mott walked into her first job at an afterschool program, she saw children who became restless due to being unengaged. Wordlessly, she came into the classroom the next day with a box of supplies, sat down by herself at a table, and began making friendship bracelets. Read more about how this moment and others sparked Lauren’s passion for STEM diversity and afterschool learning.
Tagged with: after school program, after school programs, afterschool, afterschool program, beyond school bells, middle childhood, STEM, STEM learning
Posted in Middle Childhood
Posted in Middle Childhood
Working Overtime: Nebraska Children’s Early Childhood Staff and Childcare Providers Push through the Pandemic into Brighter Times
The Nebraska Children team worked overtime with equally hardworking providers to ensure they received almost $10 million in CARES Act funding.
Tagged with: cares act, childcare, communities for kids, early childhood, early childhood education, early childhood programs, early years, sixpence
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
Bubbles and Blocks: How Nebraska Children and Childcare Providers Create the Foundation for Well-Being During the Pandemic
When the pandemic struck, early childhood programs found themselves in dire straits. With fluctuating enrollments, mortgages to pay, and children to care for, the future of childcare seemed unpredictable. Read about how Nebraska Children’s expert early childhood team worked with providers and owners of early childhood programs like Cory Quimby to ensure they could see through to the end of the pandemic.
How Does Your Garden Grow? Beyond School Bells and Partners Reveal their New Afterschool High-Tech Tool
Today, Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s afterschool initiative, Beyond School Bells, and many hardworking partners aren’t just growing greens. That is to say, the Greenery is not your typical afterschool program. Read about how we’re changing the face of afterschool.
Light and Dust: Liz Dozier, 2021 Changemakers Keynote Speaker, Shares How We Create a Better World Through Examining our Biases
We can’t wait for you to join us on Tuesday, October 26 at 11:30 am for Changemakers, featuring our keynote speaker, educator, and activist Liz Dozier!
Sweeter Every Year: Nebraska Children Thanks You for Making the Perfect Pour Worth the Wait
You support Nebraska Children through attending our yearly fundraisers, including Perfect Pour. Thanks to you, we made this year’s event and craft cocktail competition even sweeter by sampling our state’s leading mixologists’ Tequila Avion drinks, which was this year’s mixer of choice. Read about this year’s event!
Sixpence: Scottsbluff’s Home Visitors and Parents Share Successes
From providing resources for parents’ mental health to encouraging toddlers’ and infants’ developmental well-being, Sixpence home visitors help families thrive! Sixpence is a Nebraska Children early childhood initiative for children prenatal through 3. Read how home visitor Janelle Anderson works with her families to move through mental health issues, find housing, and developmentally engage their children:
Tagged with: early childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, early years, sixpence, sixpence homebase
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted in Uncategorized
Big Hearts, Open Arms, and Long Hours: CARES Act Funding Brings Childcare Providers and Nebraska Children Together
As we move into a new Nebraska, we envision childcare providers AND children thriving in every way possible.
Tagged with: childcare, communities for kids, early childhood, early childhood education, early years, sixpence
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted in Uncategorized
25 years of progress for Nebraska’s children
by Mary Jo Pankoke, Nebraska Children President and CEO As we celebrate Nebraska Children’s 25th anniversary, it’s a great time to revisit the state plan that led to the creation of our organization. The Nebraska Family Preservation & Support Program…
Posted in Uncategorized
From Child Welfare to Child Well-Being: Dr. Jerry Milner Shares the Power of Prevention
Imagine a world where we rush to sweep up the debris any time a building collapses, rather than creating buildings that can withstand natural disasters. Imagine suffering from an incurable disease, then taking over-the-counter painkillers for it, rather than working…
Posted in Uncategorized
Growing the Good Life 