The Kansas Early Childhood Transition Task Force appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly held listening sessions in nine locations across the state the last week of June. On June 30, a few staff members from University of Kansas Medical Center’s Project Eagle program participated at the listening session held at the Children’s Campus of Kansas City,where Project Eagle is located. The group will send recommendations to Kelly in December on ways to improve the system. 

Child care is such an important part of helping families work in Wyandotte County. Parents also can’t go to work if they don’t have child care. Currently, the top needs of the field of early childhood education are helping families pay for child care, making training more affordable for teachers and paying higher teacher salaries.   

Project Eagle is a program of the University of Kansas Medical Center providing services for Wyandotte County’s youngest children and their families since 1989. With a staff of more than 80 highly qualified, prepared and invested staff members, Project Eagle provides direct services to pregnant women and families with young children in Wyandotte County, Kansas, through Early Head Start Home Visiting, Educare Kansas City Center-Based programming and the Connections Comprehensive Early Childhood Screening and Referral Program. Project Eagle’s programs focus on the health and well-being of pregnant women and young children and aim to prepare children, engage families and promote excellence in the broader field of early childhood education. Project Eagle annually prepares future professionals from the fields of education, social work, public health, nursing and medicine through student internships.  and medicine through student internships.  

In 2023, Project Eagle also opened the Family Resource Center for all families living in Wyandotte County. This program will provide parents the support they need to build strong relationships and give family members valuable tools to become a healthy family. It focuses on issues common to many families in crisis such as safety, communication, problem solving and effective parenting. This grant-funded program serves pregnant women, parents and caregivers with children ages birth to five years, and invites all members of the family to attend. 

Visit the Project Eagle homepage to learn more about the organization, its programs and services offered.