Building Bright Futures Praised
BY MICHAELA SAUNDERS
May 25, 2007
If it takes a village to raise a child, Omaha is beginning its "village work," Nebraska's education commissioner said Tuesday.
Doug Christensen and others spoke in praise of the Building Bright Futures initiative, which was first announced a month ago.
Christensen said the comprehensive public-private partnership that will support low-income children in Douglas and Sarpy Counties from birth through post-secondary school is the best example of village work he has seen.
The community must work together to address the effects of poverty, Christensen said. "The future of Omaha . . . is at risk if you don't."
To adults, Christensen said, "poverty is always seen as a money issue. But for the kids, it's . . . lack of hope."
Christensen spoke after a meeting of the Building Bright Futures board and education advisory group at the Omaha Home for Boys.
The effort will address six key areas. The leaders of four of the six task forces that will carry out the goals were announced Tuesday. They are:
• Mayor Mike Fahey, who will head the task force on after-school opportunities, tutoring and mentoring.
• Dr. Rubens Pamies, vice chancellor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, who will lead efforts in adolescent behavioral health. Dr. Richard O'Brien will be vice chairman. He is a professor in Creighton University's Center for Health Policy and Ethics.
• Jerry Bartee, an assistant superintendent of the Omaha Public Schools, who will head the task force on truancy prevention.
• Jessie Rasmussen, who will lead the effort on early childhood education and development. She is vice president of the Buffett Early Childhood Fund and the early childhood policy director of the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation.
Still to be named are the leaders of the task forces focused on academic support/career awareness and scholarships.
The task forces will begin meeting in June. Action plans and recommendations should be ready by the end of the year.
The effort's executive director, John Cavanaugh, said that while some initiatives will begin in the fall, pursuit of most of the program's goals will begin in earnest in 2008.
He said the official criteria for post-secondary scholarships would be announced next year. The effort proposes that every low-income high school graduate from the two counties will receive a scholarship to a community college or university.
J.B. Milliken, president of the University of Nebraska, said the effort is "hugely ambitious" and bolder than any effort in the nation because of its comprehensive approach. Milliken said the entire NU system will be a partner in the effort.
"What's important is what this is going to do for the community of Omaha," he said.
Others agree. Michael Leighton, president of the Omaha Community Foundation, said the foundation agreed to join in the effort as the official vehicle for grants, donations and other contributions because Building Bright Futures has the same goal as the foundation: "to improve the quality of life in our community . . . for everyone."
The effort will take time, Cavanaugh said.
"It will take 10, 15 or 20 years to say this is overwhelmingly a successful effort," Cavanaugh said.
But already hundreds of metro-area organizations and hundreds of residents are on board with the effort. Those wishing to volunteer can contact Building Bright Futures at 715-4145.
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