So, it’s January. A time of year that inspires me to think about new beginnings. Sometimes, in professional development sessions, when I have a give-a-way item—like a Scholastic toy set, or a Frog Street Press character—I’ll say before drawing the name of the winner, “enjoy this moment—because right now—every single person in this room could win—this moment is full of potential winners, savor it.”

January is like that.

I’ve closed out a lot of years thinking, “Okay, it’s time to put a bow on it and move on. This year exhausted me.” But every single January I think about the awesome potential in the year. And I encourage us all to realize the possibilities—and to savor this moment—when all things fabulous in 2017 are still possible.

Working for a child and youth development organization and being the parent of two “emerging adults” (ages 17 and 22) inspires me to think about the possibilities in terms of successful, thriving people and communities. Here are a few 2017 possibilities we all can seek out:

Possibility #1) Increased early childhood education quality.

How? Contact your local representative and ask that they support funding for early childhood initiatives including:

  • An Improved professional development system
  • Continued funding of HB4 — that supports public/private partnerships between quality child care providers and ISD’s

Possibility #2) Elevated youth development experiences in after-school programs.

How? Support quality youth development programs by:

  • Volunteer your time to help with homework or activities
  • Donate to agencies that offer programs quality support systems

Possibility #3) Grow stewardship of the environment.

How? Learn about organizations that:

  • Teach outdoor education and focus on environmental stewardship
  • Have opportunities for families to share in the wonder of nature

I am honored to work at Camp Fire First Texas, one organization that seeks to change lives by investing in the possibilities listed above. While there are also others, ours is a unique approach in that it focuses on aligning quality experiences from infancy all the way through high school. While some organizations work with a limited age group, the work of Camp Fire contributes to smoother transitions between the stages of child and youth development.

So, think about the all the possibilities that lay before you…right now…and work to make those possibilities a reality. That way, it’s more likely you won’t arrive at the end of 2017 wondering what happened to the potential in the year.

Lyn Lucas is the Chief Program Officer at Camp Fire First Texas. Her specialties include working with children in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors, managing school-age programs and NAEYC-accredited early childhood education programs. Lyn holds a Master of Education in curriculum studies and serves on the Texas Youth and Child Care Worker Association board.