News & Press
Milwaukee Succeeds Welcomes New ECE Manager
On March 4, Milwaukee Succeeds welcomed its new early childhood education (ECE) manager, Yimma Davila Castro. As a longstanding community leader and ECE advocate, Yimma will help lead Milwaukee Succeeds in its efforts to advance high-quality, affordable ECE in Milwaukee.
New Report Reveals that Wisconsin’s ECE Sector is Not OK
This February, NAEYC released a concerning report detailing the current state of the ECE sector - both nationally and in the state of Wisconsin. The report, titled “We are NOT OK,” shines a light on the difficult situation in which ECE programs find themselves as federal investments expire.
Milwaukee Succeeds’ work contributes to Collective Social Innovation award
The StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network, of which Milwaukee Succeeds is a member organization, received global recognition at the 2024 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, at which they were awarded the Schwab Foundation Social Innovation Award for Collective Social Innovation.
New Report Reveals Concerning State of ECE
A new NAEYC report, titled Going Over the Child Care Cliff, reveals that many of the concerning predictions regarding tuition increases, wage cuts and closed classrooms following the expiration of federal stabilization funds are now becoming a reality.
Clintel Hasan to Depart Milwaukee Succeeds
After four years of spearheading Milwaukee Succeeds’ high school success work, Strategic Initiatives Manager Clintel Hasan is departing the organization, having decided to focus her time on education consulting. Her final day will be January 19.
Milwaukee Succeeds hosts ECE Winterfest Bash
On December 9, Milwaukee Succeeds and our ECE Ambassadors welcomed the community to our first-ever Winterfest Bash. The event was an opportunity to connect with the community, discover the topics that matter most to them and – most importantly – celebrate the season together.
Anna Smerchek Transitions to ECE Community Engagement Manager
After a year of tirelessly working to connect Milwaukee Succeeds with the larger community, this fall Anna Smerchek transitioned to the newly created role of ECE community engagement manager.
Fall Brings More Community Engagement for Ambassadors
Over the course of the year, Milwaukee Succeeds’ ECE Ambassadors have become mainstays in the community, connecting with local residents at a variety of events and engaging with ECE providers across the city. This fall, their schedules have been packed full of events and trainings as they strive to make the most of the final few months of the year.
Milwaukee Succeeds Attends Annual Cradle to Career Convening
From September 19-21, the Milwaukee Succeeds team joined over 600 community leaders from 60+ communities across the nation for the annual StriveTogether Convening. The event, which was hosted in San Francisco, explored our shared North Star: a future where every child has every opportunity to succeed.
Teacher Shortages Endanger the Future of Child Care
Providers in Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin are finding it difficult to meet the demand for quality child care because many teachers have left the field. Former teachers report that although they love working with children, they cannot continue to work for the average starting wage of $12 to $15 per hour and no benefits.
This article by Rilla Williams, is the owner of Pristine Child Care LLC, was originally published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as part of a special report by the Ideas Lab.