Ilya is originally from Zhytomyr, a small town in Ukraine just west of Kyiv. He and his family moved to St. Louis in 1989. He moved to Chicago for college, Houston for work, and then returned to St. Louis in 2004 to start a family. Ilya founded Raintree School in 2006 after a frustrating search for early childhood education options for his son. Raintree is Missouri’s first Reggio-inspired Forest School and continues to be a leader in project-based, outdoor education. The school began as an early childhood institution but is now in a growth phase and expanding into elementary grades. They currently offer classes for children two years old through 2nd grade and will offer classes through 5th grade in the future. Read more about Ilya here!
How did you become an advocate for early childhood education?
I founded Raintree School after a long and frustrating search for early childhood education for my son. Through nearly 18 years running the school, I became acutely aware of the policy issues affecting early childhood education in Missouri. Learning about the Kids Win Missouri Fellowship, I saw it as a perfect opportunity to become engaged with the policy world.
Why do you think it’s important to be an advocate as a provider?
Providers have a unique perspective from the front line of early childhood education. It is imperative that legislators hear from both providers and parents in order to make sound policy decisions in this space.
Why should Missouri invest more in child care and early education?
Study after study has shown both long and short-term benefits of quality ECE programs for children. A robust ECE system is crucial not just for individual outcomes, but for the social and economic development of the state.
In one sentence, what does the ideal child care and early education system look like for Missouri families?
The ideal system is a multi-tiered network integrating both public and private institutions with a central, online resource hub allowing parents to research, choose, and even enroll in the school of their choice.
What is one thing you’ve learned about advocacy that you’d like to share with others?
Don’t be afraid. Legislators are just people who put their pants on one leg at a time like the rest of us. When they choose to wear pants, that is.