We're honored to be featured as one of the Kenosha Public Library's Featured Readers this summer!
At Building Our Future, we know great ideas can come from a good book. This summer, our team has been reading titles that challenge us to think differently about leadership, systems change, and helping every child succeed.

Featured in today's photos:
📖 Upstream by Dan Heath
📖 The Big Cheese by Jory John

Thank you to the Kenosha Public Library for celebrating the joy of reading across our community. We'd love to hear—what's on your summer reading list? 

​mykpl.info/blogs/post/building-our-future-recommended-reads/

#BuildingOurFuture #KenoshaReads #SummerReading #ReadingMatters

This year's Youth Voice Project brought together 11 high school students from Tremper High School, LakeView Technology Academy, and Westosha Central High School to strengthen leadership skills while creating meaningful opportunities for civic engagement and community impact across Kenosha County.

Throughout the year, students developed leadership, communication, and project management skills while putting those skills into practice. They hosted a Youth-Led School Board Candidate Forum, engaging more than 75 community members in conversations about local education, and concluded the year by organizing the Stride for Minds 3K Walk/Run, which welcomed more than 120 participants in support of youth mental health awareness.

Why it matters: Meaningful leadership opportunities help young people build confidence, strengthen civic engagement, and develop the skills needed to make a positive impact in their schools and communities. The Youth Voice Project demonstrates what's possible when students are trusted to lead and supported by caring adults and community partners.
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What's next: Planning is underway for the 2026–2027 Youth Voice Project Cohort as Building Our Future continues expanding opportunities for students across Kenosha County to lead, collaborate, and shape the future of their community.

This August, Building Our Future and community partners will launch the Kenosha County Parent Child Care Needs Survey to better understand how child care access, affordability, and availability affect families across the county.

Over the past year, Building Our Future has worked closely with local child care providers to better understand the challenges facing the early childhood sector. The next step is hearing directly from families. Survey responses will help inform community planning, strengthen local strategies, and identify opportunities to better support children, families, and the workforce.

Why it matters: Access to affordable, high-quality child care is essential to kindergarten readiness, family economic stability, and a strong local workforce. Listening to family experiences helps ensure future solutions are informed by the people most directly impacted.
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What's next: The survey launches in August 2026. Community partners are encouraged to help share the survey and amplify family voices so the results reflect the diverse experiences of families across Kenosha County.