EVANSTON, IL — On November 12, the McGaw YMCA hosted its first Mission Impact Series live panel discussion, “Building an Education Ecosystem for Evanston’s Youngest Learners.” Community members, friends, and supporters of McGaw gathered on Zoom to listen to expert panelists discuss a vision for building an ecosystem that supports the education and development of Evanston’s youngest learners.
The live panel conversation featured Monique Parsons, McGaw YMCA President/CEO; Devon Horton, Superintendent, Evanston/Skokie School District 65; Nichole Pinkard, Associate Professor, Learning Sciences, and Faculty Director of the Office of Community Education Partnerships at Northwestern University; and Nicole Woodard, Chief Operating Officer, McGaw YMCA.
Parsons, who is the first woman and first Black woman President/CEO at McGaw, expressed the importance of seeing Black educators and leaders in Evanston public schools when she was growing up. She described the panel discussion as a call to action for every single person in Evanston.
“Now, more than ever, the comprehensive success of every youth requires the rebuilding of the village. This village will require unity and self-sacrifice; love and cooperation,” Parsons said. “If our ultimate vision is rooted in changing the trajectory towards triumph for all youth, we must do more than subscribe to the notion that a child belongs not to one parent or home, but embody the truth that they belong to the entire community,” Parsons added.
Woodard, who leads McGaw’s educational program partnerships in her role as Chief Operating Officer, explained that she chose to be an educator because there is a direct link between what she does professionally and her lived experience. She grew up in Evanston, navigating advanced classes where she was the only Black student.
“It matters that our Black and Brown children see educators who look like them and that every kid we serve sees that our approach to partnerships begins, first and foremost, with their families,” Woodard explained. “We focus on the whole child through our family partnerships, and extend those key collaborations with [Evanston/Skokie School] District 65, Northwestern University, and University of Chicago to provide high-quality early childhood and out of school time learning experiences for youth who live in every part of the Evanston community,” Woodard said.
From the age of six weeks through middle school, the McGaw YMCA is a trusted partner for many in supporting Evanston’s youngest learners and their families. Learn more about the YMCA’s early childhood programs, Head Start, School Age eLearning pods, and MetaMedia at www.mcgawymca.org.
Mission Impact Series Continues in 2021
The next Mission Impact Series event will take place shortly after the start of the new year and will feature McGaw’s efforts to address housing insecurity in Evanston through its Men’s Residence program. To learn more about the McGaw YMCA’s Mission Impact Series, to become a sponsor, or to donate items or funds to the programs that are featured, please contact Jodi Wickersheimer, Chief Development Officer, at jodiw@mcgawymca.org.
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