‘Thriving Children’ conference promotes growth of early childhood education

KEARNEY, NE — Community leaders are working to grow early childhood education offerings in Nebraska.

Several agencies, including the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, combined to host the annual Thriving Children, Families and Communities Conference on Monday in Kearney. Planning Committee member Lindsey Jarecki says the conference started because there wasn’t enough access to quality childcare in Nebraska.

“It really became this grassroots movement where communities were rising up and trying to solve their own problems from within in a community-based way,” Jarecki said.

Jarecki says the value of early-childhood education is realized beyond just establishing a baseline of academic skills.

“The more positive adult relationships that kids have early on, the more successful that they are later," Jarecki said. "It’s just another layer of the teamwork that it takes to get kids ready for school.”

Jarecki’s home community of Albion latched onto ideas shared at the first edition of the conference. A few years later, a non-profit, community-funded childcare center called Boone Beginnings opened.

“Before that moment we were hesitant. We were doubtful that we would have the resources or the help that we needed," Jarecki said. "Just coming (to the conference) and meeting people who are doing the work that were there to support us and work collaboratively, got us over the hump.”

There’s no shortage of people looking for similar inspiration. About 400 people from 108 Nebraska communities attended the conference and another 200 people joined in virtually.