What we do
NEXTGEN is the official family resource of Manatee County, featuring local events and good news around our community and is brought to you by the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County, Inc (ELC). The educational and family resource magazine is distributed to the parents of 25,000 elementary school children in 47 Manatee County schools, with an additional 8,000 distributed to over 200 childcare facilities, libraries, medical offices, hospitals and other business offices throughout the county. Our new website features local events, community updates and interactive activities and games for children of all ages.
Latest Issue

June – July 22

Recent Issues
Fostering More Than Just Homes…Â
Standing in a plot of uncleared land off Ellenton-Gillette Road in Palmetto, Bobbie and Floyd Price envisioned a community where foster kids could...
More Than Your Average Sisterhood…
Many good things can come from pairing a little wine and some good Italian food together. However, one of the better things to emerge must be the...
Teens Tackle Tough Topics…Â
Health education for high schoolers. Could there be a more frustrating topic? For parents, it invokes visions of awkward conversations filled with...
Time For Tech Breaks!Â
Not taking tech breaks is one surefire way that summer will come and go in the blink of an eye. This isn't news to you, of course. We all KNOW we...
Sharing a Love of Learning…
Speak to Dr. Kristina DeWitt of SCF's Education Department, and you will immediately recognize the commitment she has to helping those in Early Education...
Talent From The Heart…Â
Talent appears in many varieties, styles, and proportions. There are those that can lift our emotions with music and brilliant scientists that help...