Salt Breeze Learning is a mission-driven organization dedicated to making learning more accessible while strengthening community and culture. Through our Maine state-licensed early learning program, community and cultural initiatives, and an online professional training platform currently in development, we deliver inclusive, high-quality learning experiences for both children and the adults who support them. Our work focuses on early learning education and professional pathways for educators. Salt Breeze Learning operates an early learning program and is also a Maine state-registered apprenticeship sponsor, supporting and training early childhood educators.
Funding Request
Salt Breeze Learning is seeking funding to support the development, production, and launch of two original early learning curricula, each paired with a corresponding online educator course. Funding will support curriculum development, original music and educational content creation, cultural educator honoraria, video recording and editing, educator coaching materials, and the online platform required to deliver these programs.
Projects
Living Language, Living Culture: Mi’kmaq Culture & Language in Early Childhood
A cultural preservation and early learning program for children from birth through age eight that integrates Mi’kmaq language, worldview, and cultural teachings into daily early childhood practice. Guided by community leadership, including a lead educator from the Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq community, the program centers storytelling, land-based learning, music, seasonal rhythms, and relational care. The accompanying educator course includes short, developmentally appropriate videos recorded by the Mi’kmaq educator, allowing children to hear language and teachings directly from a Mi’kmaq voice while supporting responsible implementation.
How to Catch a Fairy
An original music-based curriculum supporting culture, life lessons, and daily routines, designed for early learners, educators, and families. Created by Marianna Filippi and Salt Breeze Learning Founder Kristyn Murphy Brownell, the curriculum features sixteen original Celtic-inspired folk songs that invite children into meaningful learning experiences encouraging life skills, daily routines, and social-emotional learning, while nurturing imagination and emotional connection. The accompanying educator course provides guidance, coaching, and developmentally appropriate activities educators can share directly with children.