Leadership Baton Rouge Tours Early Learning Microcenter at Baton Rouge FLAIM : A Spotlight on Early Steps Campaign

The Foundation for East Baton Rouge School System proudly welcomed Leadership Baton Rouge for an immersive tour of the early learning microcenter at Baton Rouge FLAIM. As part of our Early Steps Campaign, these visits invite local leaders to witness firsthand the transformative power of high-quality early childhood education and to understand why investing in our youngest learners is essential to the future of our community.

Seeing Early Learning in Action

During the visit, attendees heard from leaders in early childhood education from the East Baton Rouge School System who shared an honest and informative overview of the current landscape:

• Where we are as a community
• What children and families need to thrive
• How local partners and leaders can help strengthen early learning access

Following the presentation, Leadership Baton Rouge participants stepped into classrooms to see young learners in action. They met our students, watched high-quality instruction up close, and experienced the joyful, developmentally rich environment that sets the foundation for lifelong success.

These firsthand moments underscore a critical challenge: too many children in East Baton Rouge still enter kindergarten unprepared. Through collaboration, investment, and awareness, we are working to change that statistic—child by child, family by family.

About the Early Steps Campaign

Wondering how you can help? The Early Steps Campaign is our community’s collective effort to expand access to high-quality early learning experiences for children birth to age four. Through this campaign, we are increasing the number of available early childhood seats and ensuring more families can access the care and education their children deserve.

A unique feature of this initiative is the state’s dollar-for-dollar match for eligible early childhood gifts. This means local dollars stay local, every contribution doubles its impact, and more children receive the early learning opportunities they need.

Your generosity goes a long way.
• $1,000 helps fund one month of care for a child
• $11,000 helps fund nearly a full year of high-quality early learning

This work is made possible through the leadership and commitment of our Early Steps partners, including the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, East Baton Rouge Schools and Early Childhood Education, ExxonMobil, and The Wilson Foundation. Their dedication helps ensure more children across our community have access to the high-quality early learning experiences they deserve.

Together, we are building a stronger future—starting with our youngest learners. We are grateful to Leadership Baton Rouge for spending the day with us and for their growing commitment to supporting early childhood education across our community.

If you would like to contribute to the Early Steps Campaign and double your impact, click here to donate.