🌟 Our Mission
A Step Forward exists to ensure every child enters kindergarten confident, capable, and ready to thrive.
48% of children entering kindergarten in the US are not academically, emotionally, and socially ready. Children who lack sufficient readiness by third grade are 4 times less likely to graduate high school. We're changing this story, one child at a time.
📖 Our Story
"In our schools, I noticed some students have difficulty keeping up with academic content on grade level. This problem begins as early as elementary school and continues through high school. After researching further, I discovered that a lack of preparedness in academic, social, and emotional areas in early education affects students throughout their entire school career and beyond."
This observation by our founder, Annika Chadha, sparked the creation of A Step Forward. As a student in Jefferson County Public Schools—a district of nearly 100,000 students—she saw firsthand how the kindergarten readiness gap impacts children's futures.
"Even though there's a wider gap in preparedness based on socio-economic levels, my research found that people from all backgrounds have access to smartphones. So I built Countdown2K as a mobile app that works on phones and tablets, serving as a resource for parents and caregivers to actively engage with their children."
Annika Chadha
Founder
Congressional App Challenge Winner 2023,
Student Advocate for Early Education
💫 Our Values
These core principles guide everything we do, from curriculum design to customer support.
Child-Centered
Every decision we make puts the child's learning experience and well-being first.
Evidence-Based
Our curriculum is built on proven educational research and best practices.
Inclusive
We believe every child deserves access to quality early childhood education.
Innovative
We continuously evolve our platform using the latest in educational technology.
🏆 Recognition & Awards
Congressional App Challenge Winner
2023 - Kentucky's Third District
Rep. McGarvey named Annika Chadha, a ninth grader at DuPont Manual High School, as the winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for creating Countdown2K, an innovative solution to address kindergarten readiness.
📱 Countdown2K: Making Readiness Accessible
Countdown2K is designed to work on smartphones and tablets, ensuring that all families—regardless of socio-economic background—can access quality kindergarten preparation resources. The app covers:
Language & Literacy
Letter recognition, vocabulary, and early reading skills
Mathematics
Counting, shapes, patterns, and basic math concepts
General Knowledge
Colors, seasons, body parts, and everyday concepts
Social-Emotional Skills
Self-regulation, empathy, and classroom behavior