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October news & updates

October 10, 2025

CEO CORNER

Dear Norwalk ACTS Partners,


Thank you to everyone who joined us for the September Quarterly Convening. We deeply appreciate your ongoing commitment to our shared goal of putting 2,454 more Norwalk youth on the path to economic and social mobility by 2030. Together, our local impact will contribute to StriveTogether’s national goal of reaching 4 million more young people. We continue to work with the Connecticut Cradle to Career Coalition on our state goal as we gather data to put 25% of the state's youth on a path to economic mobility.


View the slide deck and Data Gallery Walk from the Convening.


Research shows that focusing on the seven key milestones in the cradle-to-career continuum leads to greater long-term success for children and families. This shared commitment challenges us to see the real lives behind the data, align our work with our collective vision, and build sustainable, systemic change. Achieving this for 2,454 youth is just the beginning. We have already proven the power of community and we know that, together, anything is possible.


The seven milestones that drive economic mobility are: Kindergarten Readiness, Early Grade Reading, Middle School Math, High School Graduation, Post-Secondary Enrollment, Post-Secondary Completion, and Employment.


While Norwalk ACTS is currently deeply engaged in three of these milestones, we are ready to partner across all seven.


Join us to continue advancing this work:

  • Early Childhood Development Initiative General Meeting – October 16
  • Social Emotional Health Initiative Meeting – October 17


We look forward to supporting Norwalk Public Schools, our Out of School Time providers, committed partners, neighbors, and caregivers who are already contributing to the success of our young people.


Tune in: Check out the NorwalkTALKS Mayoral Candidate Series, where we get to know Norwalk’s mayoral candidates as neighbors and members of the Norwalk community.


Join us: The youth-led Board of Education Forum on October 21 is a powerful opportunity to hear directly from our youth leaders.


Thank you for your partnership and dedication to building a stronger future for Norwalk’s children and families.

SAVE THE DATE

BACKBONE UPDATES

PARTNER FOCUS

We look forward to our Data for Democracy Convening in collaboration with CTData on October 30th at 10:30 AM. It is more crucial than ever to have access to accurate data that helps us manage our resources and meet the growing needs in Norwalk.


Check out the CT Mirror Op-Ed by Michelle Riordan-Nold, Connecticut Data Collaborative (CTData) Executive Director.

What We Are Reading

Opinion: How data can transform support for CT youth

CORNERSTONE UPDATES

Review the Data Gallery Walk from the September Convening

League of Women 2025 Voter Outreach Resources

INITIATIVE UPDATES

For National Voter Registration Day, our Norwalk ACTS Youth Advocates joined the League of Women’s Voters and the Registrar of Voters Office for an event calling Norwalk students ages 17-25 to register to vote. We are excited that Joy (Norwalk ACTS Youth Advocate) turned 18 last month and was able to register to vote!

SEH PLEDGE


We have launched our SEH Pledge Campaign for youth-serving organizations leaders to sign to engage all social emotional health stakeholders. Let's all commit to available training and resources to support the social emotional health of all Norwalk youth! Have your organization made the commitment? Reach out to Anamilena for more information!

The CT Office of Early Childhood has named Michelle Cook the OEC Ombudsman.  She is a confidential advocate to help families navigate the state’s early childhood system and provide a way for concerns to be raised and addressed. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Michelle Cook at 860-996-0228 or email Michelle.Cook@ct.gov.

To learn more about the September 29 CT Early Care Connection Endowment Listening Session.


Click on slides and recording below:

Early Childhood Endowment Listening Session presentation_9.29.25



Early Childhood Endowment Listening Session recording_9.29.25,


Early Childhood Providers


Be sure you are connected with an important news blast from the Local Governance Partner & CT OEC: Early Childhood Updates Newsletter This communication will go out monthly.


Reach out to Carol Carrozelli to be added to the email list

Free AI Training for

CT Residents

As a partnership between Google and Charter Oak State College, this free training opportunity is available to CT residents. Learning generative AI, which are tools that can compose documents, generate images, help program code or perform other work is essential for the workforce of the future. Learn more about the training here


For any questions regarding the Connecticut Online AI Academy, please contact Jon Draper at jdraper@charteroak.edu

Community Partners: In Focus

Our partners aligned with our mission have great employment opportunities. See below:


Norwalk Community College Foundation - Communications Manager

Horizons at NCCS - Academic Success & Engagement Manager

City of Norwalk Employment Opportunities

Norwalk ACTS uses a Collective Impact approach that brings people, organizations, and systems together, in a structured way, around common goals to achieve social change. It is rooted in the belief that no single organization or entity alone can create lasting social change on its own.

Norwalk ACTS

[www.norwalkacts.org]


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