In 2021, 26 early childhood professionals from across Nebraska came together with a goal: to put their perspectives front and center in conversations about the future of Nebraska’s early childhood workforce. Formed by the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska, the group, known as the Nebraska Early Childhood Workforce Leadership Cadre, meets quarterly to share ideas and build collective capacity as thought leaders in early childhood education.
Over the past three years, Cadre members have been designing and implementing projects that help solve an early childhood-related need in their community. These “impact projects” are designed to be a culmination of members’ ideas and what they have learned through the Cadre. Each member was allotted $1,000 and could pitch their projects for additional funding, if needed.
“Our job as conveners of the Cadre is to provide members with the resources, knowledge, and support they need to confidently create sustainable change in the communities where they work and live,” said Cama Cole, project lead at the Buffett Early Childhood Institute. “These impact projects are beautiful examples of what is possible when we provide backbone support and let early childhood professionals lead.”
Susan Johnson, director of the Sixpence home visiting and child care partnership at Falls City Public Schools, said it was a little daunting to create a project proposal.
“At first, you know, I was thinking, okay, what am I going to do?” Johnson said. “What can I do to really help my community? How can I make a difference that's going to be worthwhile and cost effective?”
Determined to make an impact, Johnson began to brainstorm how she could help local families. In Falls City, a rural community of 4,000 in southeast Nebraska, 13% of residents fall below the federal poverty line.
“We have a lot of families in need,” Johnson said.
On average, a monthly supply of diapers costs $80-$100 for just one child. While diapers are an essential part of infant and toddler well-being, Falls City was lacking the resources to provide them to families.
“I got to thinking about this and that we really need a diaper closet,” Johnson said. “I just want to be able to increase the health of all the children, because we all know clean diapers are a health factor. I want to make families feel comfortable coming in here at whatever income bracket that they're at, because everybody has a hard time.”
Families can visit the depot twice a month to collect diapers, wipes, and other basic supplies. Johnson hopes to partner with local businesses and organizations to sponsor diaper drives and fundraisers to support the diaper depot for years to come.
"I'm hoping that this will be something that will carry on forever in our community,” she said.
One hundred sixty miles north in Schuyler, Molly Parsons, a preschool teacher at Schuyler Community Schools, was thinking of how she could solve a need in her community, which is home to a large number of immigrant families.
“Schuyler is very unique in the way that many of our families are new to the country,” she said. “Many of them do not speak English and so they're just so incredibly grateful to be here and to be able to get their kids in school.”
In Schuyler, nearly 70% of residents report speaking a language other than English at home. When talking to parents and families, Parsons noticed that many parents lacked confidence in their ability to teach at home or recognize that they have a significant impact on their child’s academic success. As a result, students were entering Parson’s classroom with little to no academic, social, or emotional learning.
“I developed Parents Are Teachers Too [PATT], a way to provide a safe place for parents of children ages birth-5 to come together for simple trainings and informational meetings,” Parsons said. “Parents learn different tips and strategies that they can implement at home to enhance their child’s learning and development before they enter the classroom.”
At PATT meetings, Parsons teaches about topics like developmental milestones and learning through play.
“I just want to empower parents and show them that there's more,” Parsons said. “So many times I've been told at parent teacher conferences, well, I don't know how to teach my kid that because I'm not a teacher, or I've never done that, because they'll learn it at school. But parents are their child's first teacher.”
In Scottsbluff, Jessica Dutton works as a preschool teacher at Scottsbluff Public Schools and Martina Lucius is an in-home child care provider. Though only miles apart, the pair met through the Cadre.
“We realized how close we were geographically, anyways, and that we could probably make a bigger impact if we work together,” Dutton said.
Through talking about their experiences, Lucius and Dutton agreed that in-home providers were lacking community with other in-home providers, and at times, felt a sense of competitiveness.
For their impact project, they are inviting in-home providers in Scottsbluff to be part of a collaborative group focused on improving communication, supporting transitions between early childhood programs, and strengthening their network.
"I know a lot of in-home providers feel like there's competition,” Lucius said. “And so, we want there to be a place where they don't feel there's that competition, and they can come to and collaborate together to find the right answer, or even get the resources that they need for their situation.”
The impact projects are specific to the communities of the 26 Cadre members. The first Cadre class will conclude in April 2025, but members hope that the impacts will be felt well beyond.
"The ultimate goal of the Cadre isn't to help just our communities,” Parsons said. “It's to make kids’ lives better in the whole state, and ultimately, the whole country. So, if we can be the leaders of that and the models, then I'm here for it.”
Greta Morris joined the Buffett Early Childhood Institute in June 2023. In her role as public outreach communications specialist, she is responsible for media relations, communications, and public outreach.