Buffett Early Childhood Institute

12/29/2025

New publication: The Buffett Institute’s Michelle Sarche contributed to a recent article in BMC Women’s Health looking at the role of social determinants of health in alcohol-exposed pregnancy risk among American Indian women, including economic and housing stability and health care and insurance access.

One important finding: the strong social and cultural connectedness these women experience holds promise for future prevention efforts.

Read the full article: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12905-025-04173-5

12/27/2025

It's estimated that roughly 2.74 million children are being raised by their grandparents across the United States—and that doesn't include non-residential grandparents who provide child care.

New Mexico has the highest rate of kinship care in the nation. That's why it's so important that grandparents will be able to access the state's new universal child care benefits, too. Important story from WBUR 90.9 FM:

The number of grandparents helping with childcare is going up nationally. According to a 2023 Harris Poll, 42% of working parents rely on grandparents for childcare. What does it mean for the lives of those grandparents and the support they need?

12/26/2025

📚 Check out the latest title in our School as Hub book series! "I Love Visiting My School" was written by the Buffett Institute's Laura Cady and details a socialization event at Pinewood Elementary School. A feature of the Superintendents' Early Childhood Plan in the Omaha metro, these events allow kids and parents to make new friends, learn together, and forge connections to their local school.

Thanks to Unite for Literacy and the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties for their partnership in this work! Earlier this month, we celebrated a book launch and special reading at Pinewood.

Find a digital version here: https://www.uniteforliteracy.com/buffettinstitute/library

Read more about the School as Hub book series and how it's promoting early literacy on our blog: https://buffettinstitute.nebraska.edu/blog/2025/12/promoting-early-literacy-through-the-school-as-hub-book-series

12/23/2025

Staff spotlight: Several Institute employees were recognized at the December 2025 University of Nebraska System Employee Service Awards for their 5- and 10-year work anniversaries. Join us in congratulating:

🌟 Molly Colling, early childhood coordinator, 10 years
🌟 Dalhia Lloyd, director of digital education, 10 years
🌟 Mary Beth Pistillo, early childhood specialist, 10 years
🌟 Alexandra Daro, director of applied research, 5 years
🌟 Erin Duffy, managing editor, 5 years
🌟 Kimberlee Telford, early childhood coordinator, 5 years

12/22/2025

"Head Start is highly effective at what it's intended to do. By the time children end Head Start, they're much more ready—cognitively, academically—for school. They tend to be healthier. They tend to be more likely to have their dental needs taken care of, they get vision screenings and hearing screenings, and their families are doing better, too..."

In a new blog post and video, Walter Gilliam, the executive director of the Buffett Institute, reflects on the 60th anniversary of Head Start and the legacy of one of its architects, Ed Zigler, Gilliam's mentor, frequent research partner, and close friend.

https://buffettinstitute.nebraska.edu/blog/2025/12/walter-gilliam-reflects-on-60-years-of-head-start-and-ed-ziglers-legacy

National Head Start Association Nebraska Head Start Association Yale University

To cap off Head Start’s milestone year, we talked to Walter Gilliam about what he learned from Ed Zigler, the lasting impact of Head Start, and how the Buffett Institute complements the wraparound approach of serving families, children, and early educators.

12/20/2025

Our Educational Practice team is always out in schools and the community, supporting children and families. This week, they lent a hand to The Salvation Army Western Division, helping to prepare toys and gifts for Omaha families.

12/19/2025

Check out that hardware! 🏆 We're proud to share that the Buffett Institute's Communications team won five honors at the 2025 PRSA Nebraska Paper Anvil Awards on Dec. 17!

The recognitions included an Award of Excellence for internal communications and four Awards of Merit for our Early Years Matter blog, social media, Superintendents' Early Childhood Plan newsletter, and reports.

Every day, we’re inspired to share the stories and people behind the Institute’s efforts to strengthen early childhood development and education. Thank you to PRSA and everyone who follows, shares, and contributes to our work!

12/18/2025

🎦 Watch: As we cap off the 60th anniversary of Head Start, Buffett Institute Executive Director Walter Gilliam talks about the success of the landmark federal program and the years he spent working with his mentor Ed Zigler, known widely as the "Father of Head Start."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoExGf_ODC8

Head Start National Head Start Association Nebraska Head Start Association

Walter Gilliam Reflects on Ed Zigler's Mission and Mentorship

12/17/2025

The Omaha community is known for its generosity, and the Buffett Institute strives to reflect that same spirit. On Tuesday, a group from the Institute volunteered with The Salvation Army Western Division sorting and organizing donated toys and gifts for local children and families. We’re grateful for the opportunity to give back and help spread a little holiday cheer!

12/16/2025

The Buffett Institute is marking its 10th cohort of University of Nebraska System Graduate Scholars by supporting cutting-edge research on maternal health, infant cardiovascular outcomes, and the impact of parenting content on social media.

Meet Colman Freel, Rebekah Rapoza, and Ali Shull, three emerging researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Medical Center - UNMC, who are studying issues affecting children and families from pregnancy through early childhood.

Read more:

Since 2016, the Buffett Institute has invested $750,000 through its Graduate Scholars program to support the early childhood-related research of Ph.D. students from University of Nebraska campuses related to early childhood education and development.

12/15/2025

Looking for professional development on early math, child development screening tools, family engagement, and more? We've recently updated our professional learning catalog!

The Institute offers professional development opportunities for early educators and school administrators in the Omaha metro. Browse the catalog and book a workshop today:https://buffettinstitute.nebraska.edu/-/media/projects/buffett-nucleus/resources/other-resources/professional-learning-catalog-menu_final_digital.pdf

Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties

12/13/2025

Another Buffett Institute Graduate Scholar alum is publishing vital research! Jabeen Taiba, a 2023-24 Buffett Institute Graduate Scholar, is co-author on a new publication in BMC Public Health that maps the counties across the United States with high rates of pesticide exposure and vulnerable populations living in poverty. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-025-25277-5

📝 Co-authors include Cheryl Beseler, Muhammad Zahid, and Eleanor Rogan from the UNMC College of Public Health, Shannon Bartelt-Hunt from the University of Nebraska- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Alan Kolok from the University of Idaho.

Find more of our past and present Graduate Scholars here: https://buffettinstitute.nebraska.edu/about-us/graduate-scholars