RESPECT Updates: April 2025

Community Engagement

The community engagement workgroup conducted seven focus groups with families and early childhood educators in communities across Nebraska. Focus group questions aimed to better understand:

• Community strengths and assets that support young children’s development and education,
• Experiences community members view as important for young children to have a healthy start in life, and
• What community members think early childhood educators should know and be able to do.

The team is using a multiple-case study design, which treats each focus group as its own “case,” and will allow us to examine similarities and differences across the community.  The team is reviewing transcripts from each focus group to identify themes from the participants’ responses.

Student Experiences & Supports

The student experiences and supports work group is continuing to explore early childhood students’ and professionals’ experiences in higher education. Persistence (and patience!) has paid off —the team carried out interviews with early childhood students and professionals representing different communities, cultures and child care types in Nebraska. The last two interviews were completed in March and transcripts are now being coded. Several themes were identified through analysis of previous transcripts, and the team is working to determine whether additional codes or themes emerge from the new interviews. It was important to engage with participants who have diverse experiences in order to understand the lived experiences of early childhood students and professionals, and to use this information in building accessible pathways to degrees and certification.

Apprenticeships

The apprenticeship workgroup recruited 10 RESPECT apprentices, who began coursework toward a degree in early childhood education at their respective community colleges this spring 2025 term. The team also recruited and interviewed 17 journey worker/mentor candidates. Ten were selected to be paired with an apprentice. Each journey worker/mentor–apprentice team was introduced virtually to begin their work together. A mentor guidebook was developed to outline roles and responsibilities, as well as letters of agreement to detail the scope of work, data collection responsibilities and invoicing/payment procedures. The workgroup held orientation sessions for both the apprentices and the journey worker/mentors. Since then, monthly “Community of Practice” sessions have been held separately for apprentices and journey worker/mentors to check in face-to-face.

Assessments

The assessment workgroup is designing a step-by-step guide that will support students as they prepare a portfolio of evidence to earn credit for prior learning. To receive credit for prior learning, students will be required to submit evidence demonstrating proficiency for each learning outcome in their courses. Prior learning assessments are a way to recognize the experience, learning and expertise of educators working in the early childhood field, while expediting the process of earning a degree. Faculty on the UNO, UNL and UNK campuses are determining the approval logistics for prior learning assessments.

Competencies

The competencies workgroup is refining the RESPECT Competencies by organizing them around student learning outcomes to better align with course syllabi and by eliminating redundancies. This work will lead to a more user-friendly version of the competencies, which will be reviewed by volunteers from the competencies workgroup. The team submitted a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal describing the process of developing the competency framework and is waiting for a response regarding publication.

RESPECT Scholars Program: Early Childhood Education Apprentices

Meet the RESPECT Apprentices! These early childhood educators are shaping the future of Nebraska’s education system through their growth and development in the RESPECT Scholars Program.

Katina Kenny

Katina Kenny works at Yellow Brick Road in Bennington and is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in early childhood education at Metropolitan Community College. She originally went to college for elementary and special education but didn’t finish her degree — so she’s excited for this opportunity to continue down that path. Katina believes children are the future and hopes to be the kind of teacher a child looks back on and says, “She made me feel special and important.” Outside of work and school, she loves going on adventures with her family, reading and working out. Katina hasn’t met a book she doesn’t enjoy in some way — she loves using her mind to picture what someone has written.

Eden Peed

Eden Peed works at Little Disciples Childcare in O’Neill and is pursuing an associate’s degree in early childhood education at Northeast Community College. Early childhood has always held a special place in her heart. She began college in Vermillion, South Dakota, but quickly realized a four-year college wasn’t the right fit. After moving to O’Neill, she started working in the early childhood field and decided to continue her education. Eden hopes to provide quality care end education that’s easily accessible to young children, believing that even the youngest children deserve to be set up for success. Outside of work and school, she enjoys making jewelry. A big fan of Broadway, her current favorites are “Hamilton” and “Wicked,” and she also loves the movie “Twisters ,”along with the original “Twister.”

Tessa Hall

Tessa Hall works at Bright Starts Childcare & Preschool, part of 1C The Sanctuary Church, and is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in early childhood education at Columbus Community College. Her journey in early childhood began early, growing up around her mom’s in-home daycare and babysitting often as a teenager. She always found it fun to play games and do activities with children, and by high school, she knew she wanted to work in early childhood. Though college didn’t interest her at first, she began working at a child care center right after graduation and fell in love with the work, especially with preschoolers. After gaining experience in several roles, she joined Bright Starts, where she has been a preschool teacher for two years.

She hopes to give children a great experience, helping them grow into respectful and kind individuals while growing alongside them. Outside of work and school, Tessa enjoys painting, swimming, and creating mosaic signs. A favorite book is “The Energy Bus” by Jon Gordon, which she appreciates for its unique perspective on life and its encouragement to stay positive through life’s many challenges.

Holly Tharp

Holly Tharp works at Diapers 2 Diplomas Learning Center in Omaha and is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in early childhood education at Metropolitan Community College. A mom to three wonderful kids, Holly’s passion for early childhood education began when she was pregnant with her oldest. She became fascinated by child development and the powerful impact of early experiences. As she navigated motherhood, she discovered a deep love for helping young children learn, explore and build a strong foundation for their futures. That passion inspired her to pursue a career supporting not just her own children, but other families as well.

Holly hopes to make an impact by supporting and empowering other educators. Her goal is to become a trainer in the Step Up to Quality program, sharing best practices and helping create high-quality early learning environments in the Omaha area. Outside of work and school, Holly loves spending quality time with her family — whether that’s through outdoor activities, game nights or simply making everyday moments meaningful for her kids.

Tanya Running Hawk

Tanya Running Hawk works at Northwest Community Action Partnership Head Start and is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in early childhood education at Western Nebraska Community College. In high school, Tanya wasn’t sure which path to take and initially pursued accounting, but quickly realized it wasn’t for her. After working for 20 years in retail and bartending, she became a stay-at-home mom to her four children. When her youngest son turned 13 and bills started piling up, she began a new chapter as a paraprofessional at her local elementary school. That experience sparked a love for working with children, and when a position opened at Head Start in her town, she applied—and now, ten years later, she proudly serves as the head teacher. With her daughters off to college, Tanya felt it was the right time to pursue her own teaching degree.

Tanya’s goal isn’t to change the entire world — just the world of each child she teaches. She wants her students to enjoy learning, feel prepared for kindergarten and carry a positive attitude toward school. She believes that when learning is fun and engaging, children are more likely to succeed. Outside of work and school, Tanya enjoys reading, listening to audiobooks, and playing pool with her husband. They were part of two leagues before she returned to school. She’s a big fan of romance novels, especially anything by Nicholas Sparks, and one of her favorite movies to enjoy with her daughters is “Pride and Prejudice.”

Sabrina Winningham

Sabrina Winningham works at Krayon Campus in Lincoln and is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in early childhood education at Southeast Community College. With 14 years of experience in early childhood education, Sabrina grew up surrounded by the field — it’s a family tradition that she proudly continues. Inspired by the generations before her, she knew from an early age that working with young children was the path she wanted to follow. Sabrina hopes to make a lasting impact by making a difference in the lives of the children she teaches. Outside of work and school, she enjoys photography. One of her favorite movies is “My Sister’s Keeper,” which she appreciates for its heartfelt story.

Tabitha Lindblad

Tabitha Lindblad works at Little Giggles Daycare in Beatrice and is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in early childhood education at Southeast Community College. Surrounded by early childhood education from a young age — her mother ran an in-home daycare — Tabitha naturally developed a passion for working with young children. After stepping away from a career in the eye industry to become a stay-at-home mom, she soon realized her true calling was in early childhood and joined her family in the field. She now works alongside her aunt at a day care center.

Tabitha hopes to be a positive role model that children can look up to and credits her work as an opportunity to help shape who they become. Outside of work and school, she enjoys reading, running and spending time with friends and family. A favorite author of hers is Lucy Score, whose books she always enjoys diving into.

Natalie Strouf

Natalie Strouf works at Little Giggles Daycare in Beatrice and is pursuing an associate’s degree in early childhood education at Southeast Community College. With more than 20 years of experience working with children, Natalie has always known that early childhood education is her true calling. Her dedication to the field is rooted in a deep desire to continue learning and growing so she can provide children with the highest quality care and teaching.

Outside of work and school, Natalie is passionate about spending time with her family. Her greatest goal is to be the best mom she can be while navigating all of life’s challenges.

Veronica Aponte

Veronica Aponte works at Kids Count 2 Childcare Preschool in Omaha and is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in early childhood education at Metro Community College. With more than 22 years of experience in the child care field, Veronica was drawn to early childhood education by a desire to make a positive impact on young children’s development and well-being. She finds joy in shaping young minds, fostering learning and supporting children’s growth during their formative years. Veronica believes that providing nurturing and stimulating environments helps children build the foundation they need to thrive in school and beyond. Outside of work and school, she enjoys decorating, gardening, and spending time outdoors. She also finds inspiration in listening to Dr. César Lozano, a motivational speaker and her favorite podcast host.

Casandra Smith

Casandra Smith works at Krayon Campus and is pursuing an associate’s degree in early childhood education at Southeast Community College. Casandra’s passion for the field began early—her mother ran an in-home daycare throughout her childhood. Although she initially started her ECED studies in 2013, it wasn’t until after having her son and working at his daycare that she rediscovered her calling. Casandra hopes to be the kind of teacher her students remember fondly, for the love she showed them and the fun they had together. Outside of work and school, she enjoys spending quality time with her son watching movies, playing outside, and diving into card and board games. She’s a fan of science fiction, thrillers, and true crime stories.

• Visit our website regularly for the latest news and updates on the RESPECT project.
• Access meeting recordings, notes and other resources from the workgroups through the RESPECT Teams channel.
• View the project personnel directory.

Contact

If you have any questions, are interested in joining the project or one of our workgroups, email our project coordinator at respectnebraska@unl.edu.