United Way of Lake County leads corporate volunteer teams to create and revitalize Early Learning Trails. In 2014, Mr. Jose Lara, the principal of Clearview Elementary School in Waukegan, visited a group of volunteers to thank them for their efforts:

“In our community the needs are great - especially in academics. We have students who enter school for the first time in first grade and cannot spell their name. We have students who cannot recognize colors and shapes. Each morning as our students play and get ready to line up to enter school, they are able to practice the alphabet, numbers, and shapes. These skills might seem elementary- they are- but for some of our students this is the first time they are exposed to these core skills.”