As Week of the Young Child comes to a close, we’re celebrating the importance of early childhood—and the incredible people driving this work forward in Kenosha County.

This week, we:
• Recognized local leadership through proclamations
• Highlighted the state of child care in our community
• Shared resources for families
• Elevated the voices of early childhood educators

Each moment reinforces what we know to be true: supporting young children and families takes all of us—and when we work together, we can create lasting impact.

This work doesn’t stop here. Through the Smart Beginnings Network, a collaborative action network led by Building Our Future, partners across the community are aligning efforts to ensure every child in Kenosha County enters kindergarten ready to succeed.

By working together, using data to guide decisions, and staying focused on outcomes, we are building a stronger, more connected system for children, families, and educators—now and for the future.

This year, the Wisconsin Partnership celebrated a historic $330 million state investment in child care—expanding direct payments to providers, launching a new school readiness program for 4-year-olds, and increasing access to Wisconsin Shares for families.
These investments represent a major step forward for children, families, and educators across Wisconsin. We’re grateful to our partners at Higher Expectations (Racine County), Achieve Brown County, and Milwaukee Succeeds for their shared leadership and commitment to advancing early care and education.
Together, we’re working to put 10,000 more young people across our four communities on a pathway to economic mobility by 2030.

​#CollectiveImpact #EarlyChildhoodEducation #EconomicMobility #WorkforceDevelopment #SystemsChange #Wisconsin

This year, our Smart Beginnings Network advanced early learning across Kenosha County by celebrating young learners and strengthening the systems that support them. Alongside county and city leaders, we recognized the Week of the Young Child®, convened our first countywide Early Child Care Provider meeting, and honored 89 providers on National Provider Day. Through ECE focus groups, providers shared insights that will directly inform future initiatives and system improvements.

Thank you to our Smart Beginnings Network—your partnership is helping ensure every child enters kindergarten with a strong foundation for success.
​#KindergartenReadiness #EarlyLearning #SmartBeginnings #CollectiveImpact #BuildingOurFuture #Kenosha #Partnerships