June Milestone Report

First Things First

In this issue, we highlight…


  • A New Face on the Team: Introducing Erik Kennon--our summer intern.
  • Camp Collaboration 2025: Booth registration is now open. This year is sure to be the most dynamic yet!
  • The Nurturing Project: Writing the story for Porter County babies and toddlers...together.


GROW WITH FTF

Introducing our intern for Summer 2025--Erik Kennon! Erik will be working with our FTF team to better organize our database, allowing us to serve you with more efficiency.


Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Erik has resided in Northwest Indiana since November of 2023. Currently a senior at Valparaiso University, he is pursuing a B.A. in History and a minor in general education with aspirations of becoming a high school teacher. The birth of his son and experiences as a new parent motivated Erik to want to become more involved with young families and their children in the community. 

Prior to enrolling at VU, Erik served six years of active duty in the Navy. He enjoys cooking, reading, and traveling.

DID YOU KNOW?

IN THE LOOP

Camp Collaboration 2025

Camp is back again on August 19! As in the past, you must have a participating booth to attend, but we encourage a wide variety of participation from your organization.

New this year:

  • Updated registration process
  • Please be sure your organization registers for a booth only once. You can use the "additional camper registration" option to enroll more participants once your booth is confirmed.
  • The Nurturing Project
  • Showcasing the story we are writing together in Porter County, stories from eight of our local collective partners will premiere!
  • The Lullaby Project
  • Join the campfire sing-a-long and experience a preview of The Lullaby Project--coming to Porter County this Fall!
  • ...and more to be seen at Camp!
Register Today!
Have Questions?

Read the latest from our blog to know what our friends are saying about the importance of building a collaborative of community partners who are committed to creating a rich system of care, support and services.
Read Now

Amplifying the Story of Early Care: The Nurturing Project


Teaming up with City Rising, a social impact studio based in Indianapolis, FTF launches “The Nurturing Project,” an ecosystem design project to be executed through collaborative story telling. Aligning with FTF’s framework of collective impact, this initiative highlights partners who are working across sectors and silos to tackle complex issues together.


The cohort of eight teams will meet throughout the summer as a learning community to author their stories under the direction of City Rising. “The Nurturing Project” stories will debut on August 19, 2025, at First Thing First’s 4th annual Camp Collaboration.

BRAINWAVES

Let's learn together! Here are some recommendations from our team and the collaborative:


Transforming Indiana’s Early Learning Environments


Classroom assessments can reveal opportunities for deeper learning. Participating in the Elevate Learning Project can provide the tools and support needed to drive better outcomes for young learners.


The Elevate Learning Project empowers early learning programs across Indiana to improve their classroom practices to ensure meaningful growth for children under the age of five. 

Great learning environments don’t happen by accident--they're built.
Learn More

Keep Up-To-Date with State-Level Legislative Issues


Hoosier Milestones is a statewide alliance that advocates for policies that support the availability and quality of early care and education for every Indiana resident.

Participate in a monthly virtual call to receive legislative updates, resources, and support. Next meeting: Monday, July 14
Join Via Zoom

LINK & SYNC

CLICK HERE to join via zoom

CLICK HERE to share your community message

Hey, Early Learning Collaborative

We are planning ahead for new ways to empower your organization in our shared goals of best serving the PN-3 community. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey about what training opportunities would be most beneficial.
Take the Survey

Let’s link together and sync up! Here are some programs & events happening right now in the community.

Click on the bulletin board to learn more.
 

First Things First Porter County1401 Calumet Ave Valparaiso, IN 46383 US

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Check out our previous Milestone Reports!