Champions for NorCal Kids

Join 0-5 experts, rural county lovers and First 5 Executive Directors Wendy (Shasta) and Heidi (Tehama) as they showcase local 0-5 resources, tell the amazing stories of our North-state champions for children and unpack how we can continue to make a difference for young children and families. Be prepared to laugh, learn and feel inspired by your community.

Champions for NorCal Kids is a kids podcast hosted by Wendy Dickens and Heidi Mendenhall, with 117 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Wendy Dickens and Heidi Mendenhall hosts Champions for NorCal Kids, a kids show with 117 episodes published.

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  Champions for NorCal Kids

  What's in the News? California Budget, Diapers and the Importance of "One Small Thing"

  Aug 3, 202635 min

  California just passed a new state budget. So, what does it actually mean for babies, young children, parents and child-care providers in Northern California? In this episode, we discuss that and more. For families, keep trying to enroll in child care. Even if there is a waitlist, add your name. Use the SCOE Child Care Resource and Referral website to look for care, or reach out to Help Me Grow if you need support finding options. Share with us: What's one small thing someone has helped you with postpartum or that you have done for someone else postpartum? And please keep sharing your stories. Your experience matters, and your voice helps show what families really need.

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  Champions for NorCal Kids

  From AI to Hopeville: Why Rural Literacy Is Still a Human Story

  Feb 5, 202640 minS0

  <p>In a world racing from AI to algorithms, this episode of Champions for NorCal Kids reminds us that literacy still starts somewhere much more familiar: homes, classrooms, libraries, and small towns.</p><p>We sit down with Kathy Garcia, Executive Director of Expect More Tehama, to talk honestly about the raw data behind literacy outcomes, the challenges rural communities face, and the better side of rural work that doesn’t always make headlines: deep relationships, shared responsibility, and communities that refuse to give up on their kids.</p><p>This conversation connects Tehama County’s literacy movement to the broader North...

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  Champions for NorCal Kids

  Early Literacy + AI Hot Takes on Rural Literacy!

  Jan 23, 202628 minS0

  <p>In this episode of NorCal Champions for Kids, we’re breaking new ground on a topic that matters for families, educators, and community champions across Northern California: Early Literacy in Rural Communities.</p><p>We dive deep into provocative conversations and bold questions, the kind that make you rethink assumptions and spark action.</p><p>Hot Take #1: “Book deserts hit rural communities harder than food deserts — but we talk about them less.”</p><p><br>In cities and towns across the country, discussions about food deserts have dominated headlines and policy actions. But what about book deserts, places where families stru...

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  Episode #1

  Episode 1: Our Literacy Story — Journeys That Shaped Us

  Oct 22, 202533 minS2

  <p>In the first episode of our series, "it takes a village to raise readers", Wendy and I share our personal journeys in literacy — the moments, mentors, and experiences that shaped how we see reading and the power it has in kids’ lives.</p>

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  Champions for NorCal Kids

  Celebrating the Strength of Small Communities with First 5 Modoc and AmeriCorps

  Aug 28, 202529 minS0

  <p>Join Wendy and Heidi for an in-depth conversation exploring how First 5 Modoc began using AmeriCorps to support preschool classrooms and how that small start has grown into a powerful model for building career pathways and bringing parenting support to some of California’s most rural and isolated communities.</p><p>Despite challenges from recent budget cuts, Modoc remains deeply committed to this work. Like many rural regions, they lean on strong relationships, community grit, and shared purpose to keep moving forward.</p><p>Tune in to hear how this small county is making a big impact.</p>

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