About
Raising Their Voices: Empowering Future Educators as Advocates for Early Childhood Equity
by Jessica Williams
M.S.Ed in Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum; Early Childhood Care and Education Track
Biography: Jessica Williams has been an educator for 16 years, teaching students in grades 6–12. She currently serves at Hamilton Southeastern High School, where she leads the Cadet Teaching Program and the Early Childhood Education Pathway. Licensed in Family and Consumer Sciences Education, Jessica is passionate about preparing and supporting preservice teachers while inspiring others to understand the vital importance of childhood. Her work blends practical classroom experience with a deep commitment to fostering the next generation of educators.
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Raising Their Voices: Empowering Future Educators as Advocates for Early Childhood Equity"Raising Their Voices" is a capstone project designed for year two of Indiana’s NLPS Early Childhood Education pathway, specifically the Early Childhood Curriculum and Guidance course. This student-centered curriculum prepares preservice educators to become equity-focused advocates by exploring key issues in early childhood education, including teacher compensation, access disparities, culturally responsive pedagogy, and trauma-informed practices. Students develop policy literacy, communication skills, and advocacy strategies, culminating in personalized projects that address real-world challenges in their communities. Through activities like writing to legislators, conducting interviews, and creating public presentations, students practice civic engagement as a core component of educator preparation. Grounded in research, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and culturally sustaining pedagogy, this project equips high school students with the mindset and tools to become future teacher-leaders and policy influencers dedicated to equitable, developmentally appropriate learning for all children.