News & Press
ECE Ambassadors Launch Creative Curriculum Training Series
On May 23, Milwaukee Succeeds launched the first session of our new Creative Curriculum Mini Training Series, a four-part professional development opportunity designed and facilitated by our ECE Ambassadors. The series equips ECE providers with hands-on support around Teaching Strategies GOLD (TSG), an assessment and curriculum tool used to support kindergarten readiness and child development.
Building a Statewide Policy Agenda for Wisconsin’s Kids
For two days in Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Partnership came together with one shared purpose: creating a stronger future for kids across the state. This convening was dedicated to building a shared policy agenda for the 2027-2029 state budget that reflects the needs, experiences and hopes of our communities.
What’s Next for Youth Forward MKE
For the past seven years, Youth Forward MKE and its partners have worked tirelessly to shift power to young people and elevate their voices. That coalition work is now coming to a close as Milwaukee Succeeds sharpens its focus on early childhood education.
Celebrate Week of the Young Child 2026
Milwaukee is once again gearing up for the annual Week of the Young Child (April 11-17), a national celebration of early childhood education (ECE) and the people who make it possible. For the fourth year in a row, we’re kicking off the week with a lively community event – this time at ThriveOn King on April 11 (10 a.m.-noon).
Youth-Adult Equity Work Highlighted Nationally
Milwaukee Succeeds’ work to advance youth-adult equity is being recognized on a national stage. In a recent guest blog post for the American Evaluation Association, Samantha Reynoso and Kristin Kappelman explain the origins of the Youth Adult Equity Ladder Assessment, and how the tools helps partners examine how young people are meaningfully included in decision-making
Caring for Caregivers: Resilience in Action
On October 11, Milwaukee Succeeds kicked off the first session of our virtual Caring for Caregivers series, designed to support early childhood educators facing unprecedented stress and burnout. The session focused on helping educators refill their cups, restore balance and rediscover the power of self-compassion.
Milwaukee Succeeds in MCW’s Community Engagement Spotlight
On October 29, Milwaukee Succeeds’ director of research, Kristin Kappelman, joined the Medical College of Wisconsin’s for their Community Engagement Spotlight Series podcast. The session featured the Opportunity Youth Project - a new collaborative effort led by community organizations, local education and workforce advocates, Marquette University and MCW.
Milwaukee Succeeds Attends the 2025 StriveTogether Convening
This September, the Milwaukee Succeeds team traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, joining changemakers from across the country for the annual StriveTogether Cradle to Career Convening. For three days, we immersed ourselves in ideas, inspiration and collaboration, all driven by a shared goal: putting 4 million more young people on a path to economic mobility by 2030.
Wisconsin Partnership Welcomes Benjamin Porter as State Director
We are pleased to announce that Benjamin Porter, who has long served as the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s health equity portfolio manager, will be stepping into the role of state director for the Wisconsin Partnership. This statewide coalition brings together four communities to strengthen education through data-driven, community-led solutions.
Milwaukee Succeeds Welcomes Trinity Fellow Francisco Hernandez-Flores
Milwaukee Succeeds is excited to welcome Francisco Hernandez-Flores as our new data coordinator, beginning September 2. Francisco joins us through the Trinity Fellows Program at Marquette University, which is dedicated to developing urban leaders with a commitment to social and economic justice.