NIA FAMILY CENTER SITE DIRECTOR WANTS TO INSPIRE OTHERS TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL
BY TIA CAROL JONES
Ebony Westbrooks grew up in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood. Westbrooks was a teen mom, and her children attended the Nia Family
Center. The teachers were so welcoming and hands-on, and they provided the support she needed to reach her goals. She fell in love with that and went to school to get her Master’s Degree in early education.
Westbrooks started at the Nia Family Services as a teacher and more than 20 years later, she is the Nia Family Center Site Director. The Nia Family Center, located at 744 N. Monticello, is one of Chicago Commons Collective Early Childhood Centers.
Chicago Commons began in 1894 as a Settlement House, founded by Graham Taylor, at 140 N. Union St. Chicago Commons’ mission is to help children, families and seniors. Chicago Commons currently serves more than 3,500 people throughout the city and more than 1,750 students, ages six weeks to 12 years old, in its early childhood education program.
“For the last 128 years, Chicago Commons has proven to be a high-quality program that provides services for early education, senior services and also we provide Adult Services through our Family Hub program,” Westbrooks said.
Chicago Commons established one of the first kindergartens in the City in 1897. Chicago Commons uses the Reggio Emilia approach, which focuses on preschool and primary education and involves self-directed, experimental learning in a student-focused environment.
Nia Family Center has been a leading early education program since 1993. In its early education program, the Nia Family Center services children ages six weeks to 5-years old.
“We introduce our children to different materials, we allow them to explore and also all of our classrooms are set up as the third teacher,” Westbrooks said.
Chicago Commons leverages partnerships within the community. In addition to the four Chicago Commons- operated early education Family Center, it also has several partner sites throughout the city where it provides training, coaching and technical assistance to
the Head Start and Early Head Start teachers. The Early Education partners are located in Austin, Rogers Park, Little Village, Calumet Heights, Washington Heights and the Lower West Side.
Chicago Commons was awarded a five-year $23 million per year grant to provide additional support to administrators, provide more teacher training and coordinate family services through a collaborative approach.
During her journey, Westbrooks has learned there are two types of leaders: leaders who want power and leaders who want to inspire others.
“As a director and a leader of the Nia Family Center, I want to be that leader that inspires my teaching team to want to one day enhance their careers and be a Director or to be the CEO. I just like to inspire others,
because I feel like it’s a good feeling and they have so much potential and I’m so excited about their future,” Westbrooks said.
For more information about Chicago Commons, visit www.chicagocommons.org. For more information about Nia Family Center, visit www.niafamilycenter.com.
