The Village Blog | KinderJam

THE VILLAGE BLOG

When the Mission Becomes a Song in Muskogee, OK

A Top-Notch Village™ is, by definition, a mission-aligned village. When I work with agencies, one of the things we often discuss is how we can become more mission-aligned and operate under one shared mission to support healthy outcomes for children and families. I suggest that a mission should be simple enough to be understood by children, families, and new team members, and it should answer the question: Why do we exist? Every decision should be made with that mission in min

When the Work Leaves the Room in Chicago, IL

Today, I had the honor of serving as the morning keynote speaker for Start Early’s Early Learning Network (ELN) 2026 Pre-Service Professional Development Conference in Chicago, Illinois. I shared From Acorn to Mighty, Mighty Oak Tree™, a story rooted in human development, collective responsibility, and the conditions that help children maximize their personal potential. While the story is mine, the human experiences woven through it belong to so many people. Some hear themsel

The Acorn in the Eyeglass Case in Tallahassee, FL

Today, I had the pleasure of working with the Capital Area Community Action Agency team right here in my own backyard of Tallahassee, Florida. It was invigorating to watch the team grasp the concepts of the Top-Notch Village™ framework. It always does my heart well to see the lightbulb moments and the a-ha moments on people’s faces as the pieces begin to connect. Then, at the end of our time together, I received a the most beautiful Godwink. The Early Childhood Development Ma

When the Acorn Movement Took Legs in Hempstead, NY

This morning, I witnessed the most beautiful thing.❤️🥰 I watched the Acorn Movement take legs. At the end of my signature keynote, we have an Acorn Commitment Ceremony where service providers make a commitment to the children they serve. Typically, we use one tree representing the entire agency. The Assistant Head Start Director of the Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau County, Inc. in Hempstead, New York, had the brilliant idea to create one Acorn Commitment Tree for

“Are You Coming Back Next Year?” in Ringgold, GA

Today, I had the honor of partnering with the Family Resource Agency of North Georgia in Ringgold, Georgia, as they kicked off a new school year with the incredible service providers who show up every day for the children and families in their community. We closed the keynote with our Acorn Commitment Ceremony, where participants wrote a personal commitment describing how they will continue showing up as village members for the children and families they serve. One by one, th

The Universal Language of the Village in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

I’m sitting in the airport reflecting on my trip to Rio de Janeiro, and without question, the most impactful and rewarding part of my stay was visiting the favela. A favela is a community built along the mountainside. To reach the top, we took a cable car high above the homes and the community below. Inside the cable car, I met a little girl who appeared to be about three years old. We did not speak the same language, but she recognized warmth and love. She showed me the boo

Building the Village Begins with Leadership in Orlando, Florida

There are moments in this work that leave you more energized than when you arrived. These past two days with the incredible leadership team at Orange County Head Start were exactly that. Director Sonya Hill made a powerful investment by dedicating two full days exclusively to her leadership team before the start of the school year. That decision speaks volumes. It communicates that before we ask teachers to serve children and families well, we must first ensure that leaders a

The Day the Acorn Lady Received an Acorn in Birmingham, AL

This morning, I had the privilege of sharing space with the good people of Childcare Resources at their Sky’s the Limit Conference in beautiful Birmingham, Alabama. Childcare Resources is on a mission to ensure every child in Alabama gets the best possible start in life. They do the important work of supporting children and families because they understand what decades of research have shown us: quality early learning and care programs are a smart investment that can change t

The Village Engagement Matrix

I was once an acorn who grew into a Mighty Mighty Oak Tree™. Then, I had the great honor of having my own acorn and the privilege of watching him grow from infancy into a young adult who contributes positively to his community. My acorn is on the autism spectrum and was nonverbal until nearly five years old. He is now an oak tree who finished his first semester in college with a 4.0, marched in the marching band, and established meaningful relationships on his university’s ca

From Acorn to Mighty Mighty Oak Tree™

Every child begins as a precious acorn, full of promise, purpose, possibility, and personal greatness. Every acorn has the potential to grow into a Mighty Mighty Oak Tree™ that contributes to society and improves our quality of life in the future. Every acorn needs a Top-Notch Village™ that nurtures, protects, and supports healthy growth and development so it has the opportunity to grow into a Mighty Mighty Oak Tree™. Every Top-Notch Village™ needs Well-Prepared Soil™ that pr

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ABOUT THE VILLAGE BLOG

The Village Blog is a living record of engagement strategy in action.

Here, I share field stories, practical strategies, and original frameworks from my work with Head Start programs, school districts, community action agencies, and child- and family-service organizations across the country.

Each post explores how adults can strengthen relationships, become mission-aligned, and show up well for children and families. I work with adults and work for children—because every child deserves to be loved and cared for well.

Raising Superman

Raising Superman is co-authored by Dr. El and her son, Ricky II. Together, they weave their voices into one story that highlights the three characters of a Top-Notch Village: the child, the family, and the village members.

The book gives families and village members tips and strategies drawn directly from Dr. El’s Village Engagement Matrix™—a framework designed to help both work together so that children have every opportunity to maximize their personal potential.

At its core, Raising Superman shows what becomes possible when children grow up surrounded by belief in themselves, a positive identity, and a village committed to turning dreams into reality.