McCormick Institute for Early Childhood

BY Shuntae Richardson, M.P.A. | February 19, 2024

This document may be printed, photocopied, and disseminated freely with attribution. All content is the property of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

Leaders of high-quality early childhood programs continually reevaluate how their programs operate. They consider what is important to their enrolled families and changes in the external environment as well. In 2023, Juneteenth became a federal holiday, causing program directors and administrators to consider changes to their holiday calendars. It also gave many the opportunity to think about how and what to teach young children about our country’s history. That is why I am already thinking ahead to Juneteenth as we celebrate Black History month this February. As we approach the second federal acknowledgment of Juneteenth, leaders have the chance to build upon what they did last year.


The Juneteenth holiday represents an important moment in American history. Juneteenth is also called Emancipation Day and marks the actual end of slavery in the United States. Many people mistake January 1, 1863, as the end of slavery. However, although the original Emancipation Proclamation was made on January 1, 1863, it was difficult to enforce in areas still under Confederate control. Specifically in western Texas, about 250,000 black people remained enslaved until over two years later. On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and freed the remaining people by an executive decree. This day came to be known as “Juneteenth” by the newly freed people in Texas. Those freed began to refer to the day as Juneteenth.


In 2021, President Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday. President Biden stated, “Making Juneteenth a federal holiday was only one part of my Administration’s efforts to advance racial equity and ensure that America lives up to its highest ideals.” This continues to make me think about how things have changed, yet some things have remained the same over time. It took one hundred and fifty-eight years, and now this day is a national holiday.


While we are four months away from Juneteenth, you can start brainstorming how you might want to celebrate the holiday in your own early care and education program. Ways African Americans have celebrated Juneteenth include parades, picnics, exhibits, and festivals. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking:


  • Visit an African American Museum.
  • Meet with staff before and after the visit to discuss what you learned, what you felt, and how you might be able to engage with children and families in gaining a better understanding of Black History.
  • Discuss what you have learned or didn’t learn about Juneteenth.
  • Share your personal understanding of Juneteenth and how you came to learn about it, how you celebrate it, or if you celebrate at all.
  • Be a visionary of fun ideas.
  • Create an environment during Juneteenth that allows children to learn while having fun.
  • Engage in cultural activities that can help staff and families learn from one another.
  • Host cultural festivals or events with exhibits and food from different cultures.
  • Engage with businesses and organizations owned by African Americans.


My family and I dine at African-American-owned restaurants on Juneteenth to support their businesses. This year, my organization will collaborate with another non-profit organization to host a Juneteenth community festival.


Participating in these activities will enhance our understanding of one another, bridging the gaps that have kept us divided.

Shuntae Richardson, M.P.A., is Quality Supports Specialist for the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University. She is also the founder of the One Accord Community Development Organization and a member of The National Society of Leadership and Success. Shuntae holds an Associate degree in hospitality from Robert Morris University, a baccalaureate in behavioral science, and a Master’s degree in public administration from National Louis University. Shuntae has over 20 years of experience in the non-profit and corporate sectors. Her professional experience includes accounting, customer service, insurance claims, office management, mortgage lending, event planning, and community and business development. Shuntae has professional affiliations with many organizations and has served as a board of trustee member for several non-profit organizations. She has served on planning committees for villages, townships, and the chambers of commerce in various communities. Shuntae has traveled throughout the Chicagoland area, presenting workshops in corporate settings and facilitating budgeting simulations in high schools. She has been instrumental in motivating and encouraging others to reach their highest potential.

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The AI-Enabled Administrator: Reclaim Valuable Time

By Dr. Neal Green • February 8, 2026
Tools: Gemini Gems, NotebookLM, Perplexity Spaces Overview The evidence is clear that early childhood professionals' most significant challenge is a lack of time. Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, when used strategically, can give administrators some of the time they desperately need, allowing them to focus more on their staff and the children and families in their care. This approach aligns with the foundational goal of strengthening leadership effectiveness and program impact (Abel, Talan, & Masterson, 2023). When I scan the AI landscape of available products and platforms, it becomes overwhelming. There are so many options that it is impossible to keep up with every new development. Focusing on a limited number of AI tools backed by organizations with strong infrastructure and fiscal stability is a wise place to start your AI journey. McCormick Institute for Early Childhood’s (MIEC’s) upcoming professional development sessions will focus on three AI tools. These include Gemini Gems, NotebookLM, and Perplexity Spaces. Think of Gemini Gems as your customized AI assistant that you "train" to follow your rules and meet your goals. Gemini Gems are the right tool to tackle Internal Operations . NotebookLM is perfect for creating Family Support resources that stick. NotebookLM is a powerful AI tool that uses only the documents or other resources you add to generate specific, focused output. Perplexity Spaces is a fantastic choice to address Marketing demands. Like many AI tools, you can toggle back and forth between open web searches and focused documents that are specific to your work. Gemini Gems: The “Specialist Teammate” Gemini Gems allow you to create templates you can use repeatedly for agendas, HR policies, and more. If you have used AI in the past, you know that writing an effective prompt takes time, and they can easily get "lost" if you use AI often. Gems removes that challenge and lets you save your most effective prompts without having to rewrite them every time you use Gemini. It is up to you to decide if you want to create several smaller Gems to tackle common challenges you face or create larger Gems that encompass large swaths of your work. For our purposes, we will focus our Gem work on Internal Operations, addressing Program Administration Scale (PAS) Item 9: Internal Communications (Talan & Bloom, 2011). Imagine using a Gem to turn messy staff meeting notes into professional minutes with clear action plans in minutes or less! NotebookLM: The "Walled Garden" NotebookLM is an excellent tool for Family Support for your center, addressing PAS Item 17: Family Support and Involvement (Talan & Bloom, 2011). After uploading documents and resources, such as your parent handbook or community referral lists, to your Notebook, you can create several resources that parents/guardians of your center students will love. Just a few of the impressive features available with NotebookLM include audio (podcast) summaries, video summaries, and reporting functions with templates or the option to create your own report with metrics that matter most to you. Perplexity Spaces: The "Research Librarian" Perplexity Spaces is a perfect AI partner for Marketing your early childhood education (ECE) program, addressing PAS Item 18: External Communications (Talan & Bloom, 2011). You can build your own centralized repository, with control over branding to ensure consistency and present a professional, current image. Adding specific instructions to your space eliminates the need to format documents constantly and saves valuable time. The consistency that a Perplexity Space offers in this regard allows you to upload messages that are the "voice” of your brand. Your marketing efforts are not only more aesthetically pleasing but also enable you to track trends at similar centers in your area, helping you assess the competition. Strategies for Success: Audit your Internal Communications: Identify one repetitive task, such as creating staff meeting agendas (PAS Item 9), and automate it with a Gemini Gem. Curate your Family Resources: Gather three to five existing documents to "feed" a NotebookLM project for more responsive family support (PAS Item 17). Standardize your Brand: Use a Perplexity Space to ensure all public relations tools project a consistent, professional image (PAS Item 18). Reflection Questions: Which administrative task takes the most time away from your interactions with staff and families? How might centralizing marketing materials (branding) impact the professional image to prospective families? Table 1: AI Tools for ECE Professionals
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