Our North Star Goal
For all people and organizations in Hopkins and St. Louis Park, MN, and the surrounding communities to be knowledgeable, strategically aligned, and actively involved in increasing positive outcomes for our children and youth, ensuring that they feel included, valued and deeply connected to our caring community. Children First works to ensure the wellbeing and future success of every child by providing them with the opportunities and resources they need to flourish.
Children First’s data-informed, cross-sector prenatal to career partnership is closing the race, ethnicity, gender and poverty opportunity gaps so that all children in and near Hopkins, St. Louis Park, and the surrounding communities can realize their brilliance.
Our Team
Board of Directors
Alex Blee, youth ex-officio member
Lara Cleveland, Chair
Jackie Lind, Secretary
Heather Lyke, ex-officio
Anna Lynn, Treasurer
Katie McMurray
Thom Miller
Ben Mulfinger, youth ex-officio member
Paul Omodt
Allegra Smisek, Vice-Chair
Children First Staff
Heather Lyke, Executive Director
Ryan Whitaker, Administrative Assistant
Mental Wellness Strategy Group
Mari-Claire Dart
Caroline Hickey
Susannah Israel
Dr. Shannon Neale
Daniel Philippe
Connor Sullivan
Ryan Whitaker
Heather Lyke, facilitator
Early Years Action Network
Rachel Harris
Christine Rohling
Saleta Sallet-Cobb
Dana Strahnson
Heather Lyke, facilitator
Youth For Change Coalition
Riley Berger
Alex Blee
Milaena Brisson
Katie Driver
Susannah Israel
Maria Johnson
Nyja Jones
Maryem Kalid
Adelaide Lynn
Ben Mulfinger
Kellan Novak
Nora Potter
Cooper Schultz
Audrey Tuite
Heather Lyke, facilitator
Ryan Whitaker, facilitator
Our History
In 1993, St. Louis Park was the first city in the nation to embrace Search Institute’s developmental assets framework as the guiding approach to community-wide mobilization on behalf of young people. Together, we have worked for over three decades to ensure that this philosophy became deeply rooted in Hopkins, St. Louis Park, and the surrounding communities.
Enter COVID and the opportunity to reflect on the impact we were having. With the Prouty Project, Children First developed a new strategic plan that included a focus on seven critical milestones in a child’s life – kindergarten readiness, early grade reading, middle grade math, high school graduation, post-secondary enrollment, post-secondary completion, and career readiness. These milestones are moments in a child’s development that, when outcomes can be improved, will yield better lifelong success for a child.
We welcome our friends, neighbors, and colleagues in Hopkins, St. Louis Park, and the surrounding communities to join us in this important work.
Our Partners
- A Book of My Own
- All Are Welcome Here
- Barnes and Noble – Ridgedale
- Be SMART for Kids
- Big Hill Books
- Central Early Childhood Center
- City of St. Louis Park
- Creekside Clinic – Park Nicollet
- Ford Next Generation Learning
- The Free Book Buggie
- Groves Learning Organization
- Harley Hopkins Family Center
- Hennepin County Library – St. Louis Park Branch
- Hennepin County Human Services & Public Health Department
- Hennepin County Outreach and Community Supports
- Hopkins Public Schools
- Jewish Family and Children’s Service
- Lerner Publishing
- Literacy Minnesota
- Little Moments Count
- LNC Bookworks
- Anne Lundquist – Author
- Lunds & Byerlys – St. Louis Park
- Minnesota Alliance with Youth
- Minnesota Humanities Center
- myHealth for Teens and Young Adults
- North Star Therapy Animals
- Overdressed Duo
- Paperback Exchange
- ParentChild+
- Park Adams Transportation
- Park Nicollet Foundation
- Park Nicollet Health System
- Parktacular Festival
- Parsimony, Inc.
- Perpich Center for Arts Education
- PJ Library
- Red Balloon Books
- Rise Early Learning Center
- Rock ‘n’ Read
- Sebastian Joe’s Ice Cream
- See Mental Health
- Siempre Padres/Urban Ventures
- St. Louis Park Family Services Collaborative
- St. Louis Park Community Education
- St. Louis Park Cub Scout Pack 379
- St. Louis Park Elections
- St. Louis Park Environment and Sustainability
- St. Louis Park Fire Department
- St. Louis Park Friends of the Arts
- St. Louis Park High School
- St. Louis Park Human Rights Commission
- St. Louis Park League of Women Voters
- St. Louis Park Lions Club
- St. Louis Park Mental Health Collaborative
- St. Louis Park Parks and Recreation
- St. Louis Park Parktacular Ambassadors
- St. Louis Park Planning Commission
- St. Louis Park Police Department
- St. Louis Park Public Schools
- St. Louis Park Public Schools and Community Foundation
- St. Louis Park Rotary Club
- St. Louis Park Sunrise Rotary Club
- St. Louis Park Theatre Company
- STEP (St. Louis Park Emergency Program)
- Underdog Rescue
- United Way of Central Minnesota
- Way to Grow
- Westwood Early Childhood Center
- Westwood Hills Nature Center
- Westwood Lutheran Church
- Wilder Research
- Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center
- Youth Leadership Initiative
- YWCA
- Zap the Gap
Our Sponsors
- American Legion Post 282
- Citizens Independent Bank
- Education Partnerships Coalition of Minnesota
- Minnesota Department of Education
- Park Nicollet Foundation
- Park Public Schools and Community Foundation
- St. Louis Park Family Services Collaborative
- St. Louis Park Rotary
- St. Louis Park Sunrise Rotary
- United Way of Central Minnesota
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