Week of the Young Child (WOYC) returns with even more exciting ways to celebrate the young children in our lives while raising awareness about the need for early childhood programs and services in Cabarrus County!

The purpose of WOYC is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

Children who will be 4 years old on or before August 31, 2025 may qualify to attend a free, high-quality Cabarrus County Pre-K program!

Submit one universal application to see if your child qualifies to attend one of the free Cabarrus County Preschool programs in 2025-2026.

Our 2023-2024 Annual Impact Report is now available for you to view!

Click here to check out the full report and see how our programs impacted young children, families, and early childhood professionals in Cabarrus County.

The Anne Laukaitis Champion for Children Award is in honor of Anne's distinguished Smart Start leadership and her long career dedicated to the service of young children and families in Cabarrus County. This award is given annually to an exceptional individual at the local level who is devoted to public service and whose leadership qualities have resulted in significant change for the betterment of young children, families, and communities.