Toddlers waved and did their little dances. Mile-wide smiles brightened the stage. Parents, teachers, and staff gave a long ovation.

These are some of the sights and sounds of success in education. You will find them whenever we are marking transitions, celebrating the achievement of one academic milestone and anticipating the next—especially at our stepping-up ceremonies through the Early Childhood Division.

These celebrations are much more than an opportunity to get dressed up and eat cake. “We want our little ones to know that what they’ve done is a big deal,” said Moria Cappio, vice president of the Early Childhood Division. “We want them to understand that the strides they make in Head Start and pre-K are huge, and that they are ready to continue learning once they enter kindergarten.”

All told, about 600 children will make the leap to elementary school in September. But that doesn’t mean they leave the Children’s Aid family. We have constructed a comprehensive array of programs designed to support kids and families whenever they need it—to and through college.

But what was important in the previous weeks is that these kids were happy about what they did and excited about where they are going.