Blog Archives

Nebraska Growing Readers Books Make a Difference in an Unexpected Way

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

The Nebraska Growing Readers (NGR) program, which is a collaboration between Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, the Nebraska Department of Education, the Statewide Family Engagement Center, and Unite for Literacy, has aimed primarily at providing free books for licensed childcare providers who can share them with their families, but the books have also been distributed to other organizations where children and families can access them. Al-Hindi said he learned of the program in December of 2023 when Nghia Le, the Director of the Learning Center, showed him the books, which they thought could be useful for the adults in ESL classes to use.

Tagged with: early childhood, Early Childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, early literacy, education, Metropolitan Community College, Nebraska Growing Readers, North Learning Community Center Parent University, preschool, Statewide Family Engagement Center, Unite for Literacy
Posted in Early Childhood

Walk with Me: Rooted in Relationships Work in North Omaha

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

With trust and local ownership, has come a sincere interest in the work Rooted in relationships is doing and a desire to sustain that work within North Omaha. Temeshia Qualls says that she has seen the pieces of the puzzle come together with Rooted work and feels something meaningful is being passed on to the families they work with. But Debra Nared asks an important question: “we may have an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than us, but what happens afterward?”

Tagged with: early childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, North Omaha Childcare, Rooted in Relationships
Posted in Early Childhood

Taking on the Grand Challenges of the Early Childhood Profession

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

TransformED accents Rooted in Relationships’ mission to collaborate with communities and with other state entities so as to build stronger infrastructure for early childhood mental health. As Bradley puts it, “It’s imperative to continue to collaborate with other initiatives and programs that support child care providers and the rest of the early childhood workforce. If we can figure out how to integrate practices, we can reduce redundancy and maximize impact.” What better way then for Rooted to celebrate its first 10 years and to set off on the next 10 years of working with communities and with state partners.

Tagged with: CHIME, early childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, Getting Ready, Rooted in Relationships, Saline County
Posted in Early Childhood

150,000 Reasons to Celebrate: Youth Advocacy at Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s Legislative Days

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

The voices of Nebraska’s youth proved to be a powerful force, swaying Governor Jim Pillen to support crucial legislation impacting food security for 150,000 children in Nebraska. The young advocates, representing communities across Nebraska, presented compelling arguments at Legislative Days, ultimately influencing the governor’s decision. Their success highlights the transformative impact of youth advocacy in shaping policy.

Tagged with: Connected Youth Initiatve, CYI, foster care, Legislative Days, project everlast, youth voice
Posted in Legislature, Middle Childhood, News and Events, Systems, Teen/Early Adulthood

The Turtle Who Took Down a Tantrum

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

In January, Tucker Turtle Came to visit North Platte preschools and the local library as part of Rooted in Relationships’ work to teach children how to self-regulate emotions.

Tagged with: early childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, North Platte, North Platte Library, Rooted in Relationships, social emotional learning, Trucks N Tiaras, Tucker Turtle
Posted in Early Childhood

From Lincoln to Valentine, Youth Voice Shapes Local Afterschool Programs in Nebraska

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

The Beyond School Bells (BSB) Youth Leadership Council (YLC) in Nebraska empowers high school students to make a difference in their afterschool programs. The council creates and proposes projects to enhance afterschool activities and address unmet needs.

Tagged with: afterschool, beyond school bells, youth leadership, youth voice
Posted in Middle Childhood, News and Events

Gering C4K Is Top of the Heap

Posted on February 12, 2024 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

On November 13, 2023, high school students broke ground on a project that Superintendent Regan called “a historic moment for Gering Schools.” On the campus of Northfield Elementary , Gering High School trade students launched the build of a new 5,000-square-foot facility that will house 4 preschool classrooms.

Tagged with: communities for kids, early childhood, early childhood education, education, ESU 13, family, Gering Community, kindergarten, preschool, schools
Posted in Early Childhood

Getting to the Roots of Rooted in Relationships: 10 Years of Community-Building Success

Posted on January 29, 2024 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

Rooted in Relationships celebrates ten years of connecting with Nebraska communities to build infant mental health infrastructure, collaborate with providers and parents to provide coaching and training for the pyramid model, and highlight childcare professionals and the important work they do.

Tagged with: child-development, children, early childhood development, early childhood education, early childhood professionals, infant mental health, naimh, National Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health, Parenting, pyramid model, Rooted in Relationships, social emotional
Posted in Early Childhood

Finding Voice in the Stars: Caitlynn’s Journey of STEM Empowerment

Posted on January 18, 2024 by Nebraska Children — 1 Comment

This is a story of empowerment. Learn how STEM and afterschool programming impacted the life of a Lincoln teen.

Tagged with: beyond school bells, Flight Crew, Girls in STEM, lincoln, million girls moonshot, Nebraska, STEM, STEMNEXT
Posted in Middle Childhood, Teen/Early Adulthood, Uncategorized

Celebrating a Year of Progress: 2023 Achievements at Nebraska Children

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

As we reflect on a year of achievements and meaningful milestones, Nebraska Children would like to extend our gratitude to our invaluable partners and generous donors who have been instrumental in making this year a success. Your support, dedication, and collaboration have been the driving force behind fostering stronger communities, empowering youth, and creating lasting change across Nebraska.