It's time to thank those who inspire and teach our earliest learners!  Nominate an early childhood champion by March 31, 2023 using this link. Our categories are: emerging professional student award, emerging professional award, professional of the year award, and volunteer of the year award.  We will recognize the award winners at Illinois Public Media's Early Childhood Champions Awards celebration on Friday, May 12, 2023, 5:30pm-7:30pm at Illinois Public Media's Collins Studio.
 

Looking back on America’s first century, voting rights used to be very limited, mostly to white, land-owning, Christian men. Over time access opened to more groups of people, but even today, one’s right to vote isn’t guaranteed. Voting rights in America continue to be a moral and political issue. And while eligibility to vote is governed and protected by various state and federal laws, efforts to suppress the vote are alive and well. While these conversations can be complex—and often we don’t know where to begin—we believe beginning with our littlest ones can have the most long-term impact, both individually and as a society. We hope you will find the resources below helpful.

Click to return to the main page.

Current estimates indicate more than half a million people are experiencing homelessness in America, and a staggering portion of that includes families with children. These individuals live in every state and territory and reflect the diversity of this country, however, certain people in our society are more likely to find themselves without a place to live. The risk of homelessness is tied to race, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, and mental health. While these conversations can be complex—and often we don’t know where to begin—we believe beginning with our littlest ones can have the most long-term impact, both individually and as a society. We hope you will find the resources below helpful.

Click to return to the main page.

Socioeconomic status (SES) is measured by several factors, but most often it focuses on income, occupation, and education, and it can have either a positive or negative impact on a person's life in the ways it affects access to resources crucial to an individual’s upward mobility. Research has also found the lower the SES, the more likely someone is to have physiological and psychological health issues. While these conversations can be complex—and often we don’t know where to begin—we believe beginning with our littlest ones can have the most long-term impact, both individually and as a society. We hope you will find the resources below helpful.

Click to return to the main page.

Native American Heritage Month has evolved from its beginnings as "American Indian Week” in 1986—just a week-long celebration over the Thanksgiving holiday—to now a month-long celebration of the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, histories, and important contributions of Native people. This is also an opportune time to educate ourselves on the distinctive set of challenges American Indians and Alaska Natives still face today. While these conversations can be complex—and often we don’t know where to begin—we believe beginning with our littlest ones can have the most long-term impact, both individually and as a society. We hope you will find the resources below helpful.

Click here to return to the main page.