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…
Blog Archives
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
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
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…
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
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
Growing the Good Life 