Children’s Development

Of course, this is the primary goal and concern of Boone Beginnings. The nurturing of our children through age-specific programs intentionally designed for optimal cognitive, behavioral, and intellectual development and taught by compassionate and knowledgeable specialists in the field which in turn leads to…..

With proper care during a critical, influential time in their lives, these children will be better equipped to lead successful, fulfilling lives. They’ll be much more capable of succeeding in school and higher education, let alone their future careers and relationships. And many of these young minds will someday comprise much of Boone County’s workforce!

Aside from the obvious benefit, parents who enjoy peace of mind knowing that their children are in good hands are less distracted, and therefore more productive, at work. Also, with an early childhood development center in the community, parents who had previously opted to stay at home for lack of childcare will be able to rejoin the workforce.

Bridging these intellectual gaps will reduce the number of students requiring additional help, in turn reducing the need for supplemental educational programming. And cultivating healthy social and behavioral development will considerably reduce problematic demeanors and tendencies characteristic of children with behavioral issues.

For most adults, access to high-quality schools and childcare impacts where they decide to lay down permanent roots. We anticipate that, with several great high-quality childcare options, families will be more attracted to our community. We also anticipate that this will help considerably with population retention, as families already in our community will be more likely to stay.

Each of these key benefits not only increase the quality of life for residents in Boone County but also bolsters our local economy.

85%

of human brain development happens before the age of five. Which means this is a critical time for children to receive proper academic, social, behavioral, and developmental nurturing. Without it, they could potentially battle long-term social, behavioral, and intellectual weaknesses.

90%

of Boone County survey respondents identified lack of childcare in the area as a concern. Lack of childcare was a top concern among Boone County residents in our 2019 survey. If this need isn’t met, residents may consider moving elsewhere or leaving the workforce to stay at home with their children.

10%

of Nebraskans strongly feel that most young children in our state are prepared to be successful in school by the time they start kindergarten. Not having the building blocks in place for a successful transition into formal education proves to be a concern statewide.

Meet Our Board Of Directors

Jay Wolf
Jay Wolf
Jay and his family own Wagonhammer, a ranching and cattle feeding operation. Jay is a graduate of the University of NE Lincoln. He serves on the Board of Directors for Boone Beginnings and the Boone County Fitness Center. Jay and his wife, Susie, have 3 children: Mitchell, Alex and Hilary. Hilary and her husband Ryan, have a daughter, Willa, and another baby on the way!
Lindsey Jarecki
Lindsey Jarecki
Lindsey Jarecki, her husband, Jeff, and two children have lived in Albion since 2012. Lindsey grew up in Omaha where she worked in various early childhood programs and taught in Elkhorn public schools. She enjoys traveling with her family and reading. Currently Lindsey stays home with her children and volunteers throughout the community. She joined the Boone Beginnings board because she believes the first five years of life are crucial as well as wanting the community to thrive.
Theresa Wilke
Theresa Wilke
Theresa Wilke and her husband Arlyn have resided in Albion for the past 12 years. They have five children and seven grandchildren. Theresa has been involved in Early Childhood Education for nearly 40 years and currently teaches Preschool at Boone Central Schools. Theresa’s goal for being on the Boone Beginnings Board is to continue to advocate for quality childcare for all children.
Carol Kusek
Carol Kusek
Carol Kusek and her family have lived in Albion for the last 35 years. She and her husband, Dr. Tony Kusek, have three grown children and eight grandchildren ages seven and under. Carol and her husband enjoy to travel. She is a former educator and an active volunteer throughout the community. Carol is also President of the Albion Education Foundation. Carol joined the board because early childhood care has been a need in our community since before she moved here.
Andy Roberts
Andy Roberts
I have four boys Jack, Tom, Will, and Simon and am married to my wonderful wife Susan for 20+ years. It warms my heart to walk into Boone Beginnings and I never knew how much I would enjoy that aspect of the project when we started down the path to make this happen. I am excited to see what the future brings for the children who will be impacted by Boone Beginnings. I did a lot of praying about the project and how it would turn out. We took the leap of faith to go for it, it has truly been a blessing.

I got involved with Boone Beginnings because we saw a need. The great people who worked and are continuing work on the project along with the staff and kids have been inspiring to me.

Todd Ford
Todd Ford
Todd and his wife, Amanda, have been lived in Albion since 2013. They welcomed their first child in 2020. Todd works as the engineering manager for Valero Renewables. He enjoys family time and the outdoors. He hopes to help improve the childcare capabilities for Boone County and give back to the community.