Meet Silvia Castillo, director of Kids First in Lincoln, Nebraska. When Silvia got the opportunity to step into a director position at Kids First after previously working on the staff as a teacher, she brought her knowledge and experience in early childhood education along with her passion for making a difference in the lives of children to help the center secure its Step 5 rating. Learn more about Silvia’s quality improvement journey.

What inspired you to work in the early childhood field?

I’ve always felt a strong urge to make a difference in the lives of others. For me, that first meant working in secondary education with at-risk youth, a group I was familiar with and grew up around. But over time, I realized early childhood is the time to make the biggest impact in someone’s life, because that time is the foundation for learning and building confidence and emotional well-being. Supporting children during these formative years is what I really wanted to pursue.

My child care career began around 2012 working in a preschool classroom. One of my coworkers left the center to work at her church’s center, which was Kids First. After her move, she recruited me to help out there. At Kids First, I started working with school-age children, then I transitioned to a preschool position. All the while, I was in school studying early childhood education. This experience in the field helped me see and practice the concepts I was learning at the university.

I wanted to work with lower-income families, so I left Kids First to work as an educator at a Head Start program. At that time, I had just finished my degree and was a single mother of four while my husband was out of the country. I was beginning to feel the weight of my workload and stepped away from early childhood entirely.

Kids First’s director, who I worked under during my time there, decided to leave their position, and I was asked if I would be willing to come back and fill it. I was hesitant to rejoin the early childhood field at first, but I remembered how much the center helped me during some very crucial times in my life, and I wanted to help keep it going for other families. I’ve been back at Kids First since 2022, and while it isn’t an easy job, it is rewarding. And I’m grateful to be involved in a director’s association here in Lincoln as a support system.

What is your child care philosophy?

My philosophy is that each child has the ability to reach their full potential in a supportive, inclusive, diverse, nurturing, whole child-centered environment. I believe that learning happens best through very meaningful relationships and hands-on experiences that help children grow, fostering their natural curiosity and empathy and respect toward each other. I aim to help children build the skills they need to thrive in both school and life.

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

I learned about Step Up to Quality during my college studies. Kids First was preparing to participate in Step Up to Quality during my initial employment there, and when I came back into the director position, I led the effort to take the center from Step 4 to a Step 5 rating. Aside from state and health department regulations, there isn’t another framework that clearly defines and supports quality care, so I wanted to continue participating.

How does it feel to have achieved a Step 5 rating?

It feels incredibly rewarding and validating. It represents the hard work, dedication and teamwork our staff put into creating a high-quality learning environment for our children and families. Knowing our efforts to provide exceptional care and education is recognized at the highest level is very humbling and motivating. It’s a great reminder of how far we’ve come and an inspiration to continue to grow, learn and strive to be our best selves.

Did you work with a Step Up to Quality coach? How was the experience?

When I took over as director, we had a Step Up to Quality coach named Megan. She was approachable, welcoming and consistently encouraging, always ready to provide support and answers — and if she didn’t have the answer, she would find it for us. Her guidance made the process so much more manageable and less overwhelming for me. Her professionalism and positivity really contributed to our success.

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

Coming back to Kids First at Step 4 was a pretty solid foundation to work from, and Step Up to Quality felt like a “second person” who was just as invested in boosting the quality of our program to reach Step 5. Not all staff at centers will have an education in early childhood, so a part of a director’s work is helping train them. It’s important to me to provide instruction to my staff based on facts and best practices, and Step Up to Quality validated my direction and helped my team get on board with evolving our practices for quality improvement.

What words of encouragement do you have for providers considering joining Step Up to Quality or are still working through the steps?

Don’t give up. The process may feel overwhelming at times, but it’s absolutely worth it. Every step you take strengthens your program, your staff and the experiences you provide to your children and families. You gain valuable insight, you grow professionally and, most importantly, you gain a sense of pride in the quality of care you offer. Everyone wants to be proud of where they work.

Remember it’s not about being perfect, it’s about progress. The supportive resources and coaching available to you through Step Up to Quality really do make a difference. The results speak for themselves in the growth of your team and the success of the children in your program. I’ve seen so much growth in my staff. And families notice, too, the intention and quality behind how we work with the children in our care. They’ve noticed the difference between what we do and their experience at other centers that are not yet enrolled in Step Up to Quality.

Step Up to Quality reminded me why I chose this field — to make a lasting difference. I’m really proud of how far we’ve come, and I’m excited to continue growing through what we’ve learned.