Governor Pritzker’s recent passing of the Education and Workforce Equity Act highlighted the crucial need for early childhood workers across Illinois. Those at It Takes a Village Family of Schools, however, have been long aware of the growing need for providers, and are now partnering to launch an innovative solution. This Spring, Chicago’s Early Learning Head Start Delegate Agency, It Takes A Village Family of Schools (ITAV), and Illinois State Representative, La Shawn K. Ford, will partner to address this challenge through a new Early Childhood Workforce Program for Chicago youth. According to Representative Ford, “This program will provide needed opportunities for youth to overcome some of the challenges facing the city such as the recent uptick in carjackings, and other preventable problems during the summer months, which is often the most violent time of year in Chicago.” Those interested in signing up or learning more can visit www.itavschools.org or email Makeya Kelly, ECW Counselor, at makeya@itavschools.org.