Through the West Sacramento Home Run, the City of West Sacramento will be a thriving community that benefits children, families and local businesses by providing access to high-quality early learning for all children, opportunities to develop valuable work-readiness skills, and financial assistance for postsecondary education and training.
QUALITY EARLY LEARNING
READY, SET, SAVE! AND EVALUATION
529 DAY WINNERS
INTERNSHIPS
COLLEGE PROMISE
DIGITAL MICRO-CREDENTIALS
24/25 OUTREACH & FINANCIAL WELLNESS EVENT
Making West Sacramento the best place to grow up, raise a family, and find talent.
Year in Review
A pilot program employing teen Program Promoters to help us with outreach, social media, and community engagement was launched in October, 2024. Promoters who spoke Farsi, Pashto, Urdu, Spanish and Russian connected with their peers, as well as with families and younger children throughout West Sacramento to encourage participation in our Ready, Set, Save! program. Their work to sign up participants for Ready, Set, Save! scholarships, and the state’s CalKIDS accounts at 34 outreach events at schools and other community organizations contributed to a 40% increase in Ready, Set, Save! accounts, and a total of 452 accounts created THIS YEAR!
Our Early Learning Digital Microcredentials also saw a huge growth in participation and recognition. With over 200 credentials awarded and invitations to present at the California Childcare Resource Policy Conference and the International Badge Summit, the program has captured the attention of State and International Education Agencies for its innovative and inclusive design.
The launch of our $200,000 Farm to Early Care and Education grant in April 2025, in partnership with Fiery Ginger Farms, began with gardening and nutrition curriculum in 22 sites across West Sacramento and delicious, locally grown fruits and vegetables distributed monthly to Family Child Care Homes. See our Future Plans section for more!
Our Paid Summer Internship Program kicked off in June with 61 high school interns. Eleven new employers participated this year, mentoring interns and providing work experience in a variety of fields.
We began a partnership with the West Sacramento Foundation in April to seek funding to expand and deepen the impact of our Home Run programs, starting with the Internship Program. The new vision for the foundation includes a focus on education, career pathways and empowering West Sacramento youth. Look for more exciting developments through this partnership in the coming year!
This photo was taken at Discovery Preschool, a Quality Early Learning Site!
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
Our partnership with YCOE provided our early learning professionals with professional development opportunities. Over 10 providers participated in coaching sessions to strengthen the quality of their interactions with children. Several providers took part in a refresher course on the social and emotional foundations for early learning.
INNOVATIVE PRACTICES
We received a site visit from First 5 California leadership to observe sites that have participated in our Early Learning Digital Micro-Credentials. The purpose of their visit was to learn more, with the goal of possibly replicating this program across the state.
Early learning providers were featured in videos promoting our Digital Micro-Credentials, as well as in a Home Run video highlighting the quality of our early learning program.
CHALLENGES
We continue to see the impact of large numbers of 4-yearolds enrolling in Transitional Kindergarten programs, which has contributed to lower enrollment at other early learning sites.
Another ongoing challenge is the lack of facilities to expand center-based care. The city’s Child Care Impact Fee is being explored as a potential solution to this issue.
SOLUTIONS AND PROGRESS MADE
We continue our collaboration with YCOE through professional development opportunities and by sharing digital micro-credentials as a possible model. Both CDE and First 5 CA are advancing efforts to replicate the digital micro-credential program statewide.
Through our Farm to Early Learning and Care grant, 15 early learning sites are enhancing or establishing gardens, with projects expected to be completed by June 2026. Up to 25 sites will also receive monthly deliveries of fresh, locally grown produce and nutrition and gardening activities to incorporate into their programs.
OUR PROGRAM
In the past year, we had 452 new Ready, Set Save! accounts, and incentive claims totaled $3,544. While this figure is lower than the previous year, it reflects continued participation from families who are actively using the program to save for college and future goals.
This year, our outreach placed a stronger focus on digital engagement, particularly through targeted Facebook ad campaigns, while continuing our in-person workshops that build trust and offer one-on-one support. These combined efforts helped us reach new families and re-engage those who had previously signed up but needed reminders or assistance accessing their accounts.
Looking ahead, we plan to maintain the consistency we’ve built in our outreach and engagement efforts, while working toward higher participation and deeper engagement. With a mix of digital outreach and strong community partnerships, Ready, Set, Save! continues to grow as a trusted resource that helps families build long-term savings habits.
529 Day Winners
This year’s 529 Day winner, Esme, received $1,529 in college savings, and her teacher, Janice, was awarded $500 for her classroom!
COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS
Throughout the year, the Home Run team built meaningful connections with local organizations, immersing ourselves in the community to maximize our positive impact. Our participation in a variety of events, like the West Sacramento Trunk or Treat, Lighthouse Carnival, Dia de los Ninos, TK-PreK Your Way, Kinders Go to College, Earth Day, and the Juneteenth Celebration allowed us to engage with families, students, and community leaders, all while sharing the vision and benefits of our program. Each event offered unique opportunities to spread awareness about the different programs our initiative has to offer.
FINANCIAL WELLNESS
AND FAMILY
STRENGTHENING EVENT
The Financial Wellness and Family Strengthening Event was a success, made possible through funding from a grant from the ScholarShare Investment Board. The event welcomed 45 families, including approximately 20 children, for a 3-hour program focused on strengthening parenting skills and building financial literacy. To ensure accessibility, childcare was provided, allowing parents to fully engage without concern.
Feedback from families was overwhelmingly positive, with many asking if another event would be held in the future. The workshop was made possible through strong collaboration with local community school facilitators from Elkhorn Village and Westfield Village Elementary Schools.
Internships
This year, the Home Run Internship Program continued to grow, attracting 120 high school applicants. Sixty-one interns were placed across West Sacramento and nearby communities, gaining valuable hands-on experience in a wide range of fields. Of the 61 interns placed across West Sacramento and nearby communities, 59 successfully completed the program. Placement sites included Clark Pacific, Mirror Image Dance Company, Sierra Donor Services, Uplift Martial Arts, and many more.
Each internship provided students with opportunities to develop professional skills, explore career interests, and build confidence in realworld work environments.
Hawaiian/Pacific Ilander
Number of Participants Each Year
2020; 17 Interns
2021; 33 Interns
2022; 36 Interns
2023; 56 Interns
2024; 58 Interns
2025; 59 Interns
West Sacramento
62 recipients of the West Sacramento Promise in the school year 24-25
Gender
37% of recipients were first generation college students.
Ethnicity
College Promise
Research continues to show that College Promise programs make a real difference in helping students stay enrolled and complete their college goals, whether that’s earning a certificate, associate degree, or transferring to a 4-year institution. Graduates from West Sacramento high schools are guaranteed admission to Sacramento City College, and by enrolling full time within six months of graduation, they qualify for the West Sacramento Promise. This program covers their enrollment fees, with additional support from the California College Promise or the Los Rios College Promise to cover tuition.
In the 2024–2025 school year, 62 students benefited from the West Sacramento Promise. Of those, 37% were the first in their families to attend college. The group reflected the diversity of our city, with 66% female participants and 47% identifying as Hispanic/Latino, followed by 21% Asian, 13% African American, 12% White, and 6% multiracial students. Each year, we are seeing more local graduates take advantage of this opportunity, and it is exciting to watch their journeys begin.
Digital Micro-
Credentials
OUR PROGRAM
In 2024-25 the Home Run continued to award digital microcredentials (also known as digital badges), offering participants recognition for skills gained through our programs. Micro-credential earners can showcase their skills by sharing their badges on resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and college and job applications. Early Learning providers can share them with families on their websites. Providers also receive decal versions of their credentials that can be shared on any signage they may have. Each credential highlights a specific set of competencies, such as professionalism, communication, teamwork, or early learning development.
In Summer 2024, Home Run interns earned 240 digital micro-credentials--more than ever before. These credentials serve as evidence of interns’ employability skills. Fifty-six early learning providers earned credentials in 202425 for their commitment to quality care and ongoing professional growth.
We’ve continued to grow and improve our digital microcredential program this year, and it really shows. Every round, more students and educators are earning recognition for their hard work and dedication. These micro-credentials don’t just highlight individual achievements, they build confidence, open doors, and show the real impact of what Home Run is all about. We’re so proud of how far we’ve come, and we’re only getting better from here.
The Home Run team attended 42 events this year, collaborating closely with community partners such as WUSD schools, Community Schools, and Early Learning sites.
FUTURE PLANS FOR THE WEST SAC. HOME RUN
WEST SAC FOUNDATION PARTNERSHIP
The future looks bright for the youth of West Sacramento! Through a new partnership with the West Sacramento Foundation, the Home Run has begun a campaign to raise funds to increase enrollment and impact of our paid internship program. Our goal is to serve five more interns each year, beginning in 2026. Although ambitious, we believe this goal is attainable and our staff will focus on meeting or exceeding it each year.
CDFA MAJOR AND MINOR GRANTS
In April 2026, our $200,000 Farm to Early Care and Education grant contract from CDFA was finalized and we began implementation! We began distributing fresh produce to sites, and providers began sharing photos, recipes, and activity ideas with each other through an educational ‘padlet’. This year “major” and “minor” grants will be awarded to 15 early learning sites that applied in August 2025. Although not every site was awarded the full amount requested, each site will receive enough to carry out an impactful gardening and nutrition education project. We are thrilled to witness these exciting projects come to fruition knowing each will provide hundreds of children and their families with access to fresh fruits and vegetables in the coming years and will help every child participating develop a lifelong love of fresh and whole foods!
NEW WORK-BASED LEARNING PLATFORM
Every year, more local employers participate in the Home Run Summer Internship Program, but we receive many more applications from students than there are available internships. Managing all the intern requests, applications, interviews and offers, site visits, performance reviews, forms and reminders requires more staff time each year, and has occasionally led to frustration by some supervisors. To streamline things for students, employers and the Home Run team, we will begin using a work-based learning management system called Grouptrail later this year This system will allow nearly all of these tasks to be done on one website and will, we hope, reduce our dependence on spreadsheets!
Making West Sacramento the best place to grow up, raise a family, and find talent.
