Building Our Future

Last week, Building Our Future and Higher Expectations hosted our 2nd Annual FAFSA Summit for school district partners Kenosha Unified School District and Racine Unified School District at University of Wisconsin-Parkside! Together with colleagues from local post-secondary institutions, we’re addressing the need to increase FAFSA completion rates across our region. FAFSA is just one tactic in our efforts to support students on their path to post-secondary success. With nearly 60% of seniors in Kenosha and Racine not completing the FAFSA for the 2024-25 school year, we’re committed to changing this trend. Through the Equitable Enrollment Collaborative, we’re working with our partners to implement strategies that boost FAFSA completion while striving toward larger goals that support our ???????????????????? ????????????: ???? ????????, ????% ???? ?????? ???????? ???????????? ?????????????????? ???? ?????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????? ???? ?? ????????-?????????????????? ?????????????? ?????? ?????????? ???????? ?????????? ????????????????????. Explore last year’s FAFSA data on our website: https://lnkd.in/gwuvNSyH We look forward to building on this important work together!

?? From May to October 2024, Building Our Future’s Literacy Steering Committee surveyed 401 caregivers across Kenosha to better understand literacy practices and opportunities to support early-grade reading. The results provide a powerful foundation to address caregivers’ and students’ needs on their reading journeys. ?? ???????? ???????????? ???? ?????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ?????????????????? ???????????????? ?????? ???????????? ???????? ????????????????: Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha, Carthage College, KUSD, Wisconsin Reading Corps, KAFASI, Community Library, Kenosha Public Library, Kenosha Achievement Center, Kenosha Literacy Council, and United Way of Kenosha County. ?? Dive into the insights here: https://lnkd.in/gpgErYyd #EarlyLiteracy #Partnerships #Kenosha #CommunityDriven #BOF

On Monday, our team participated in the Wisconsin Partnership convening with colleagues from Milwaukee Succeeds, Achieve Brown County, and Higher Expectations for Racine County—for a day of collaboration and strategic planning. Together, we’re driving systems change in early childhood education and early literacy across the state. ???????????????????? ???????? ?????? ??????????????????: ???Action planning for 2025 statewide policy changes ???Insights from state leaders Jeff Pertl (Department of Children & Families) and Sachin Chheda (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction) Thank you to our partners, including the Greater Milwaukee Foundation for hosting, StriveTogether for your continued guidance, and Carolynn Friesch, United Way of Kenosha County CEO, for your support in advancing education in Kenosha County. Let’s continue building a better future—together! #Partnerships #EarlyChildhood #Liteacy #CradletoCareer #CollectiveImpact #Policy #ResultsDriven

?? Building Our Future and United Way of Kenosha County are thrilled to connect with our young people today at the PowerUp Conference and partner with our community members! Racine and Kenosha families and friends—help us spread the word to all junior and senior high school students! ?? The Mary Lou & Arthur F. Mahone Fund PowerUp College and Resource Fair is happening TODAY, Saturday, November 16th, from 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM at University of Wisconsin-Parkside. ?? This FREE event offers valuable resources on post-secondary education, employment, and volunteer opportunities. Let’s empower our youth to take charge of their future! ? Complimentary breakfast and snacks will be served. ? And don’t miss this year’s Battle of the Mascots—who will take home the trophy? ?? Let’s come together as a community to support our youth! #SupportOurYouth #HavingAPlanMatters #PowerUp #Education

?????????????????????? ?????????????????????? ???? ???????????? Last month, our work with the Kenosha Fire Department took center stage at the INSPIRE conference, showing how cross-sector partnerships can truly fuel positive change. We’re thrilled to support these efforts to build a stronger, more inclusive talent pipeline right here in Kenosha! If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the video we previously shared on our channels to see how cross-sector collaboration is making a tangible impact. Learn more about Building Our Future’s Continuous Improvement work by visiting our website. Because, as we say, it’s a ???????????? thing, not a ???????????? thing. #CollectiveImpact #ContinuousImprovement #Kenosha #ResultsDriven #CradleToCareer #Outcomes https://lnkd.in/gbhXt6HK https://lnkd.in/gx5veZ4x

Yesterday, Building Our Future’s Executive Director Tatjana Bicanin, Executive Board Member Lawrence Kirby, Leadership Table member Yolanda Jackson-Lewis, and our postsecondary partners joined the Higher Expectations team for Day 1 of a Stakeholder Mapping workshop led by CivicLab. This workshop provides tools for a systems-building approach to address social challenges, with our shared focus on postsecondary attainment and access in our region. Looking forward to Day 2 today! “It’s a systems thing, not a single thing.”

???????????????? ??????????????????????: ???????? ?????? ????????! Looking to make a difference? We’re hiring a ?????????????????????? ?????????????????????? ?????????????? to drive collaboration across our networks and lead initiatives that improve student outcomes and economic mobility, from cradle to career. This is the final week to apply—don’t miss your chance to join a dedicated team making meaningful impact in our community! The application deadline is ???????? ????????????, ???????????????? ??????—apply now! ???????? ???? ??????????: ??A collaborative, mission-driven environment ??Opportunities to grow and develop your skills ??The chance to make a real impact in our community Click here to apply: https://lnkd.in/gewKekSH #NowHiring #CommunityJobs #JoinOurTeam #ApplyNow #JobOpening #Hiring #Leadership #Partnerships #BOF #CollectiveImpact #CommunityLeadership #ResultsDriven #ContiniousImprovement #Jobs #Kenosha #CareerOpportunities

?????????? ???????? ???????????? ?????? ???????????? ???? ?????????????????? The Institute for Research on Poverty at UW-Madison has recently published a comprehensive report addressing child care supply and demand challenges in Wisconsin. The findings reveal that nearly 60% of providers statewide have unutilized capacity, primarily due to staff shortages, which affects over 33,000 children. In Kenosha, only half of the providers reported maintaining a waitlist, but for those that did, it accounted for 707 children countywide. The actual number of children waiting for or without care is likely much higher. Reduced child care capacity in Kenosha results in more parents staying home, leading to decreased workforce participation and a weakened economy. This report underscores the urgent need for a stronger statewide infrastructure to support those caring for our youngest and most vulnerable populations. To read a summary or the full report, please click the links below. Summary: https://lnkd.in/gwU_aiuu Full Report: https://lnkd.in/gAuVX4YB #ECE #earlychildhoodeducation #SmartBeginnings #kindergartenreadiness

???????? ?????? ????????! Building Our Future is hiring a ?????????????????????? ?????????????????????? ?????????????? to strengthen collaboration across our networks and lead key initiatives that improve student outcomes and economic mobility, from cradle to career. Visit the latest news section on our website to review the full job description. ?????????? ???? ???????????????? ??????! https://lnkd.in/gewKekSH #JobOpening #Hiring #Leadership #Partnerships #BOF #CollectiveImpact #CommunityLeadership #ResultsDriven #ContiniousImprovement #Jobs #Kenosha #CareerOpportunities

A week ago today, we had the pleasure of attending the Inspire 2024 event, where our partnership with the Kenosha Fire Department was showcased! It was great to see the power of cross-sector partnerships in action, and we're proud to support efforts to build a stronger, more inclusive talent pipeline in Kenosha. Check out the video to learn more about how collaboration is making a difference right here in our community! https://lnkd.in/ghD5kR98 #Inspire2024 #Partnerships #ResultsDriven #CradletoCareer #Kenosha