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…
Blog Archives
Why Nebraska Is Investing in Boys and the HEAL Economy
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.
Tagged with: afterschool, beyond school bells, education, HEAL professions, health, healthcare, mental health, teaching
Posted in Cradle to career, Middle Childhood, Teen/Early Adulthood, Uncategorized
Posted in Cradle to career, Middle Childhood, Teen/Early Adulthood, Uncategorized
Does Your Face Light Up?
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…
The Treasure of Literacy
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.
When Dinosaurs Roamed the Library
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…
Posted in Early Childhood, Uncategorized
Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again on a Beyond School Bells Environmental Outing
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.
“There Might be a Better Way…”
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.
Tagged with: child care, child care center, Early Childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, preschool
Posted in Early Childhood
Posted in Early Childhood
Building Back the Love: Beyond School Bells and NGR Partner in Literacy Projects
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.”
Tagged with: afterschool, Alliance Recreation Center, Beatrice Learning After-School Time, beyond school bells, child literacy, early childhood, early literacy, education, family, Gothernburg Impact Center, Linked to Literacy, literacy, Nebraska Department of Education, Nebraska Growing Readers, reading, Summer programs, Unite for Literacy, Wakefield Summer Program
Posted in Early Childhood, Middle Childhood
Posted in Early Childhood, Middle Childhood
The Father That Didn’t Give Up: Alex’s Journey
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.
Rooted in Relationships Holds First All-Coaches Meeting
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.”
Tagged with: early childhood development, early childhood mental health, Rooted in Relationships
Posted in Early Childhood
Posted in Early Childhood
Growing the Good Life 