Meet Krystal Flowers, co-owner of C.R.E.A.T.E. Child Enrichment Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Krystal is passionate about creating an empowering environment where children can learn, grow and thrive. Recently achieving a Step 3 rating, Krystal shares her center’s child care philosophy, how participating in Step Up to Quality has strengthened their program and what inspired her journey into early childhood education.

What inspired you to work in the early childhood field?

There are two owners, myself and Akeydra Hagens, and we’ve always had a passion for working with children and serving our community.

We have a small nonprofit that hosts an annual workshop each summer to teach youth ages 10 to 18 financial literacy. We realized that we wanted to continue working with children, and opening a child care center was the perfect fit.

We believe the earliest years lay the foundation for children’s confidence, character and future success. We wanted to make a difference in our community while caring for children every day.

What is your child care philosophy?

We believe that every child is uniquely created with purpose and potential. Our role as providers is to create a safe, nurturing environment where children learn through play, exploration, meaningful relationships and hands-on experiences.

Guided by our C.R.E.A.T.E. framework — Culture, Recreation, Education, Agriculture, Talent and Empowerment — we focus on developing the whole child while helping children build confidence, curiosity and a strong sense of identity.

• Culture: We embrace and celebrate everyone’s culture. We purchase books that represent every child in our care and celebrate what is meaningful to them.
• Recreation: We encourage movement through activities like dancing and exercise.
• Education: We focus on math, science, reading and literacy while making sure every child is prepared for the next level of learning and school readiness.
• Agriculture: We have a garden down the street where we teach children. We also enjoy nature walks and outdoor scavenger hunts.
• Talent: We encourage children to be creative and showcase their talents, whether that’s drawing, singing, dancing or creating arts and crafts. We also let them share what they want to learn and create.
• Empowerment: Through affirmations and positive encouragement, we help build children’s confidence.

What does high-quality child care mean to you?

High-quality child care means going above and beyond meeting standards. It’s about creating an environment where children feel safe, valued, challenged and excited to learn every day. It also means building strong partnerships with families, providing intentional learning experiences and continually striving to improve — because every child deserves our very best.

How did you learn about Step Up to Quality? Why did you decide to join?

We learned about Step Up to Quality through the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative (NECC) community and child care licensing, and we saw it as an opportunity to grow. We wanted to enroll and continue participating because we believe excellence requires continuous learning, accountability and reflection.

We wanted to strengthen our program while demonstrating our commitment to providing the highest quality care and education for the children and families we serve.

How does it feel to have achieved a Step 3 rating? Will you remain at this rating?

It feels rewarding and encouraging. It reflects the intentional work our team has invested in creating a high-quality learning environment. More importantly, it motivates us to continue learning, improving and raising the bar for ourselves and the children and families we serve.

We are at Step 3 momentarily — as we strengthen our program and meet additional quality standards, we plan to apply for advancement to the next level. We are committed to continuous improvement and providing the highest quality care and education.

What was it like going through the rating review process?

We were a little nervous at first. However, we realized the review wasn’t about being perfect. It was about highlighting the meaningful work we do in our classrooms every day. It also gave us an opportunity to reflect on our practices, celebrate our strengths and identify areas where we can continue growing.

In what ways has Step Up to Quality helped boost the quality of your child care practices? What have you learned and implemented?

One improvement we’ve made came from feedback about our open classroom environment. Sometimes our toddlers and preschoolers share the same space, so we’ve decided to add classroom dividers during instruction time to create more defined learning areas while still allowing opportunities for group play.

What words of encouragement do you have for providers who are considering joining Step Up to Quality?

Take the leap! Don’t let the process discourage you. Every improvement you make, big or small, creates a better experience for the children and families you serve.

Stay rooted in your purpose, embrace the opportunity to grow, and remember that investing in quality today creates brighter futures for generations to come.