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A photo of a bright and happy child care space with books and a reading nook and a calendar on the wall

Imagine U to Increase Child Care in the SeaTac Area

Every child in the SeaTac area deserves high-quality child care. The city’s partnership with the Imagine Institute’s Imagine U program will help train new licensed family child care providers and prepare them to start their own businesses serving SeaTac families. Imagine U is one of The Imagine Institute’s signature programs, pairing experienced and talented licensed child care providers with those interested in becoming licensed. Imagine U graduates have opened 562 new child care businesses statewide since the program started in 2017. Beginning

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A graphic with the text "Join the Shared Services Hub" over a photo of several babies playing

Program Spotlight: Shared Services Brings Child Care Providers Together

Child care providers across Washington build friendships and find support through the Shared Services Hub! Shared Services is a partnership between The Imagine Institute and the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families. It connects licensed family child care providers and child care center directors to resources and services to help grow their businesses, build bonds with fellow providers, and access free training and expert advice. All licensed family child care providers and independent child care center directors in Washington State

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Imagine Spotlight: Mumina Hassan

This week, we’re proud to feature Mumina Hassan, who is a lead mentor with the Imagine Institute, a state-approved trainer, and child care provider in Seattle. MEET mUMINA The Imagine Institute is supporting providers across Washington State, offering resources to help them learn more about child care and teaching them about the services they provide. This week, we want to introduce you to a lead mentor who has been with Imagine from the beginning, Mumina Hassan. FINDING HER PASSION Mumina came to

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A photo of a woman with long brown hair and glasses

Imagine Spotlight: Marion Hedin

This week, we’re proud to feature child care provider Marion Hedin from Port Angeles. MEET MARION Marion Hedin has more than four decades of child care experience, including running Country Fun Childcare and Preschool LLC from her home in Port Angeles for the past 18 years. She had always enjoyed working with children, and becoming a child care provider gave her the opportunity to spend more time with her son when he was young. Over the years, she’s gained experience and expertise,

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Imagine Spotlight: Eunae Cho

This week, we’re proud to feature Eunae Cho, who owns a family home child care business in Bellevue and is working with Imagine to become a state-approved trainer. MEET EUNAE Eunae Cho has always loved serving others and making people happy. Her first college degree and career were focused on hotel management. But when she became pregnant with her first child, she decided to study the Montessori method of early childhood education, and it changed her life. LEARNING AND GROWING Before her

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Imagine Spotlight: Basma Faraj

This week, we’re proud to feature Basma Faraj, a child care provider and Arabic community advocate in Washington. When she settled in Western Washington, Basma Faraj never dreamed of becoming a child care provider, but two decades later, she is now a Technical Assistant, a mentor, a trainer, and part of the Arabic Community of Care with Imagine. JOURNEY TO BECOMING A PROVIDER Basma grew up in Jordan with 8 siblings: two brothers, and six sisters. She then moved to the United

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Figuring Out How to “Spring Forward”

It’s that time of year again when parents and caregivers have to move their clocks ahead one hour as part of Daylight Saving Time. This is a headache for many people caring for little ones, but the challenges of drastically changing schedules can be worked out in a short period of time. While you may have done something similar in the Fall when the clocks turned back, the big difference in the Spring is that it stays lighter later into the evening.

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Mirna Cartagena

Imagine Spotlight: Mirna Cartagena

This week, we’re proud to feature Mirna Cartagena, serving as a mentor and child care provider in Washington. MEET MIRNA Family is very important to Mirna Cartagena, so when she started working with her sister at the home of a child care provider, she knew it was something she was passionate about and was eager to learn more. COMING TO THE UNITED STATES Mirna grew up in El Salvador and is the oldest of four sisters. She got an education there, and

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Imagine Spotlight: Jezel Ann Dagang

This week, we introduce you to Jezel Ann Dagang, who is child care provider in Washington State. MEET JEZEL She recently became a licensed child care provider, but Jezel Ann Dagang says her passion to teach kids started at a young age with help from her family. THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY Jezel grew up in the Philippines and was the oldest of her siblings. She says she helped them out whenever she could and often passed along what she knew to them

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Imagine Staff Spotlight: Nadia Burkur

This week, we’re proud to feature Nadia Burkur, who is child care provider and mentor in Washington. MEET NADIA It’s not something she thought she’d be doing, but now Nadia Bukur says child care has become a passion for her. Working with the Imagine Institute as a mentor, she is helping others in her community become providers, and take advantage of the opportunities being offered. FROM CNA TO CCSG Nadia came to the Western Washington from Ethiopia in 2000, with her family.

Read More
A photo of a bright and happy child care space with books and a reading nook and a calendar on the wall

Imagine U to Increase Child Care in the SeaTac Area

Every child in the SeaTac area deserves high-quality child care. The city’s partnership with the Imagine Institute’s Imagine U program will help train new licensed family child care providers and prepare them to start their own businesses serving SeaTac families. Imagine U is one of The Imagine Institute’s signature programs, pairing experienced and talented licensed child care providers with those interested in becoming licensed. Imagine U graduates have opened 562 new child care businesses statewide since the program started in 2017. Beginning

Read More
A graphic with the text "Join the Shared Services Hub" over a photo of several babies playing

Program Spotlight: Shared Services Brings Child Care Providers Together

Child care providers across Washington build friendships and find support through the Shared Services Hub! Shared Services is a partnership between The Imagine Institute and the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families. It connects licensed family child care providers and child care center directors to resources and services to help grow their businesses, build bonds with fellow providers, and access free training and expert advice. All licensed family child care providers and independent child care center directors in Washington State

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Mumina Hassan

This week, we’re proud to feature Mumina Hassan, who is a lead mentor with the Imagine Institute, a state-approved trainer, and child care provider in Seattle. MEET mUMINA The Imagine Institute is supporting providers across Washington State, offering resources to help them learn more about child care and teaching them about the services they provide. This week, we want to introduce you to a lead mentor who has been with Imagine from the beginning, Mumina Hassan. FINDING HER PASSION Mumina came to

Read More
A photo of a woman with long brown hair and glasses

Imagine Spotlight: Marion Hedin

This week, we’re proud to feature child care provider Marion Hedin from Port Angeles. MEET MARION Marion Hedin has more than four decades of child care experience, including running Country Fun Childcare and Preschool LLC from her home in Port Angeles for the past 18 years. She had always enjoyed working with children, and becoming a child care provider gave her the opportunity to spend more time with her son when he was young. Over the years, she’s gained experience and expertise,

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Eunae Cho

This week, we’re proud to feature Eunae Cho, who owns a family home child care business in Bellevue and is working with Imagine to become a state-approved trainer. MEET EUNAE Eunae Cho has always loved serving others and making people happy. Her first college degree and career were focused on hotel management. But when she became pregnant with her first child, she decided to study the Montessori method of early childhood education, and it changed her life. LEARNING AND GROWING Before her

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Basma Faraj

This week, we’re proud to feature Basma Faraj, a child care provider and Arabic community advocate in Washington. When she settled in Western Washington, Basma Faraj never dreamed of becoming a child care provider, but two decades later, she is now a Technical Assistant, a mentor, a trainer, and part of the Arabic Community of Care with Imagine. JOURNEY TO BECOMING A PROVIDER Basma grew up in Jordan with 8 siblings: two brothers, and six sisters. She then moved to the United

Read More

Figuring Out How to “Spring Forward”

It’s that time of year again when parents and caregivers have to move their clocks ahead one hour as part of Daylight Saving Time. This is a headache for many people caring for little ones, but the challenges of drastically changing schedules can be worked out in a short period of time. While you may have done something similar in the Fall when the clocks turned back, the big difference in the Spring is that it stays lighter later into the evening.

Read More
Mirna Cartagena

Imagine Spotlight: Mirna Cartagena

This week, we’re proud to feature Mirna Cartagena, serving as a mentor and child care provider in Washington. MEET MIRNA Family is very important to Mirna Cartagena, so when she started working with her sister at the home of a child care provider, she knew it was something she was passionate about and was eager to learn more. COMING TO THE UNITED STATES Mirna grew up in El Salvador and is the oldest of four sisters. She got an education there, and

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Jezel Ann Dagang

This week, we introduce you to Jezel Ann Dagang, who is child care provider in Washington State. MEET JEZEL She recently became a licensed child care provider, but Jezel Ann Dagang says her passion to teach kids started at a young age with help from her family. THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY Jezel grew up in the Philippines and was the oldest of her siblings. She says she helped them out whenever she could and often passed along what she knew to them

Read More

Imagine Staff Spotlight: Nadia Burkur

This week, we’re proud to feature Nadia Burkur, who is child care provider and mentor in Washington. MEET NADIA It’s not something she thought she’d be doing, but now Nadia Bukur says child care has become a passion for her. Working with the Imagine Institute as a mentor, she is helping others in her community become providers, and take advantage of the opportunities being offered. FROM CNA TO CCSG Nadia came to the Western Washington from Ethiopia in 2000, with her family.

Read More