On November 1st, we gathered our partners and stakeholders to discuss our 2018 Annual Report and celebrate the successes of 2018 and look forward into what’s next for Higher Expectations.

Higher Expectations will use a grant award to launch a two-generation initiative focused on moving parents, particularly single mothers with young children, into family-sustaining employment through educational advancement and training opportunities, while preparing their children for success in school.

Last year, Higher Expectations partnered with Racine Unified to launch a literacy program called “Racine Early Intervention.” This year, a second group of Racine Unified teachers completed this program, and the district continued to see the success that this had in improving outcomes for students. 

Committee members came together after realizing that the many separate conversations they were having related to workforce development could be more effective if all the region’s key players were at the table together.

This week, the County Executive and Racine Mayor hosted Town Halls at the George Bray Neighborhood YMCA, the Cesar Chavez Community Center, and the John Bryant Community Center to talk with Racine residents about the Uplift 900 program. 

As a Lumina Talent Hub, Higher Expectations for Racine County, Building our Future, UW-Parkside, and Gateway Technical College have begun to implement and strengthen the strategies that work for our region’s students.

The Higher Expectations IT Network helped to bring an #HourOfCode to Racine Unified students this week in partnership with the non-profit organization, HustleDreamCode. Kids at Dr. Jones Elementary, Julian Thomas Elementary, and Red Apple Elementary have the opportunity to spend an hour learning about the basics of computer science through a fun coding activity.

Racine Unified School District and Higher Expectations have been working together to implement Continuous Improvement practices in RUSD schools.

This past year, Higher Expectations brought key partners together around the need for skilled Information Technology (IT) employees within Racine County.The network launched its first initiative – Start IT, a place-based IT employment and training opportunity focused on unemployed or underemployed adults between 18 and 24 years of age, in fall 2017. Start IT. Last week, the first cohort of the program had a graduation ceremony to celebrate their completion of the program.

In 2017, Higher Expectations for Racine County, along with thirty community leaders and staff members, participated in a Results Count leadership program for race equity and inclusion in Racine. They deepened their own understanding of race, class and culture; identified and analyzed the causes of racial inequities; and defined and refined action plans to advance race equity and inclusion to accelerate results.