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Your local resource for early childhood information.
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Friends,

The 2nd Annual Karaoke4Kids was a blast! What an inspiring pool of talent we have in our community!

Thank you to everyone who joined us on such a special night and a huge round of applause goes out to our celebrity performers:

Celebrity Performers
Eric Weinheimer, President & CEO of Forefront (and our defending Karaoke Champion!); Loren Middleton, Attorney-musician and CEO of the Veltway Corporation; TaRon Patton, Executive Director of Congo Square Theater Company; Lynda Shadrake, Actress and Comedienne; LaKeya Shearrill, CEO of Keys2Broadway Educational Theater Company and Director of CAST Jr.; and the Crybabies from Oak Park Friends School. Thanks to Mike Cramer for being our gracious emcee and to FitzGerald’s, a perfect venue, as always.

And thank you to our auction and raffle donors and sponsors: The Book Table, Community Bank of Oak Park & River Forest, Congo Square Theatre Company, The Dailey Method, Doggie Day Play, ELAN, Griffin Theatre Company, Jasculca Terman Strategic Communications, Laura and Eric Jordahl, Kinslahger Brewing Company, Amy McCormack, McCormack Schreiber Legal Search/Legal Solutions, Amanda Miller Design Studio, Dave Revsine, Diana Rosenbrock, Spilt Milk, and David Weindling.

Karaoke Champion

This year, anyone could enter to challenge the celebrities to be the new Karaoke Champion, and we were all blown away by audience participant Michelle Mbekeani-Wiley’s soulful country crooning. Congrats to Michelle, who also happens to be an ardent early childhood enthusiast, for earning the coveted title of Karaoke Champion!

We’re already looking forward to having Michelle back next year to defend her new title!

>> View Karaoke4Kids photos

Calendar

7/17: Board of Directors
7/19: Professional Development Committee
7/28: Collaboration Council

Visit our website or Facebook page for updates and more events for families.
Calendar
Photo: New Website
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Partnering With Parents
Please donate to support our work
Good Life Race

Thank You, Good Life Race

The Oak Park Runners Club has generously donated $17,000 from the proceeds of this year’s Good Life Race to the Collaboration for Early Childhood. The Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry was also a beneficiary. As their community partner over the past five years, we’re honored to have this opportunity to participate in a prestigious event that promotes healthy habits in young children.

The award-winning race included a Junior Dash and a Youth Mile so runners of all ages could experience the excitement and enjoyment of crossing the finish line.

“The Junior Dash is a terrific way to showcase the fun and communal aspects of running for our youngest children,” said Carolyn Newberry Schwartz, Executive Director. “This donation will support our efforts to ensure that all children receive critical early learning experiences and services to set them on a path to develop their full potential.”

>> Learn more

Erikson Institute

Erikson Leadership Fellows

The Collaboration for Early Childhood’s Executive Director, Carolyn Newberry Schwartz, and Oak Park Elementary School District 97’s Senior Director of Administrative Services, Felicia Starks Turner, were selected for the Barbara Bowman Leadership Fellows program of Erikson Institute.

The program, open to professionals working in the early childhood sector, aims to broaden participants’ ability to influence policy that improves the lives of young children and their families.

>> Learn more
Family Child Care Credential

High-Quality Family Child Care

Congratulations to Rosetta Abel, licensed family child care provider at Honeybee Child Care, for being awarded a credential demonstrating that she has the skills and expertise to provide her families with a high-quality early learning experience.

This award, the Family Child Care Credential Level 2, is offered by Gateways for Opportunity and comes through the Illinois Department of Human Services, Bureau of Child Care and Development.

The Collaboration for Early Childhood provided many of the training opportunities Rosetta attended to improve her knowledge of child development, and our professional development team helped guide Rosetta through the credential application process.

Rosetta Abel joins Jeanette Streeter, Alma Martinez, Melody Robinson and Kizzie Harris on the growing list of family child care providers who have received Gateways credentials.

With the Collaboration’s continued support, Oak Park and River Forest families will benefit from continued improvement in the quality of services available to our youngest children.

>> Find high-quality child care in our Resource Directory
Parenting Resource Program

Let’s Connect!

We know you’ve been following us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and now you can find us on all your favorite social media apps!

  • Our Pinterest boards cover child development and early childhood topics.
  • Our Twitter account has all the latest local and national news, research, activities, and suggestions for those interested in the youngest years.
  • And of course, Instagram has lovely photos of our work.
Please follow us and let others know we’re here. See you online!

 

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