The Nebraska Early Childhood community was proud to be part of the 2025 Annual Region VII Head Start Conference, held in honor of Head Start’s 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee. The event brought together dedicated professionals, advocates, and partners from across the region to celebrate six decades of impact in early childhood education—and Nebraska showed up strong.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the Nebraska programs, staff, and leaders who made the journey to represent our state at this important gathering. Your presence and participation are a testament to the strength, dedication, and passion of Nebraska’s Head Start community.
A special congratulations goes out to Nebraska’s award recipients—Erika Fink, honored with the Tom Mayer Award of Excellence, and Rafel Hart, named Administrator of the Year. Your outstanding leadership and commitment to the mission of Head Start continues to inspire us all.
We also extend sincere appreciation to the incredible Nebraska presenters who shared their expertise and elevated our collective knowledge. Thank you to speakers from the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, Nebraska Head Start Association (NeHSA), University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), the Head Start State Collaboration Office, and the Nebraska Office of Early Childhood. Your contributions played a vital role in the success of this year’s conference.
Together, we celebrated 60 years of changing lives, strengthening families, and building brighter futures. Thank you, Nebraska, for representing our state with pride and purpose.
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