PAASSS and Waubonsee Community College invite the community to an evening of film, connection and conversation about why investing in young children matters to all of us.
What happens during the first years of a child’s life doesn’t stay in early childhood. It affects families, schools, communities, the workforce, and the economy for years to come.
On Tuesday, October 27, PAASSS and Waubonsee Community College will bring together families, educators, students, business and community leaders, advocates, and early childhood partners for “Community, Culture, & Conversations: No Small Matter Community Screening & Panel Discussion.”
The event will feature a screening of No Small Matter, a feature-length documentary exploring the importance of high-quality early childhood education and its lasting impact on children, families, communities, and the economy.
But the film is only the beginning of the conversation.
From Awareness to Action
Following the screening, a diverse panel will explore early childhood through multiple lenses—from families and community systems to advocacy, policy, workforce, and economic development.
Panel participants include:
- Sean Noble and Sally Puleo, Illinois Co-directors of ReadyNation
- Trish Rooney, Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC)
- Neoma Nagahawatte, Assistant Advocacy Director, Illinois Action for Children and leader of We, The Village
- Kristina Rogers, Director of Community Systems Statewide Supports, representing the statewide community systems work of Illinois Action for Children/Partner Plan Act/CS3
Together, panelists will help move the conversation beyond why early childhood matters to an equally important question:
What can families, communities, businesses, policymakers, and systems do together to create better opportunities for young children?
“Early childhood isn’t only an early childhood issue. It’s a family issue, a workforce issue, an education issue, an economic issue and a community issue,” said Laurel Mateyka, Founder and CEO of PAASSS. “No Small Matter gives us an opportunity to bring people who don’t always sit at the same table into the same room and ask what we can do together to create stronger systems for children and families.”
Come Early. Make Connections.
The evening will also include time to meet organizations and initiatives working to strengthen children, families, and early childhood systems locally and across Illinois. Participating partners will include Illinois Basics, IRIS, Birth to Five Illinois Regions 24 (Grundy/Kendall) and 31 (Kane), Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI), Family Focus, and Kendall County Health Department/BBO, among others. The networking portion is intentionally designed to give participants an opportunity to make connections, discover resources, and see how organizations are working together across traditional boundaries to support children and families.
For PAASSS, that collaboration is central to the event and to its mission. Parents and Agencies Aligning for Stronger Support Systems (PAASSS) brings families, schools, early childhood programs, healthcare providers, community organizations, and other partners together to identify needs, coordinate resources, and create community-driven solutions.
Everyone Has a Place in This Conversation
You don’t have to work in early childhood to have a stake in what happens during a child’s earliest years. Parents and families. Educators. College students. Business leaders. Elected officials. Community organizations. Healthcare professionals. School leaders. Early childhood professionals. All are invited.
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | 4:30–8:00 p.m.
Waubonsee Community College – Sugar Grove Campus
Dickson Center Board Room, 2nd Floor
The evening begins with registration, networking, and community connections at 4:30 p.m., followed by the welcome and film beginning at 5:00 p.m. A community panel discussion will follow the screening. Heavy refreshments will be served. Walk-ins are welcome, but advance registration is encouraged. Register for No Small Matter: https://calendar.
Their now is our future. And that’s No Small Matter.
