Raise the Bar
An ERC friendraiser to celebrate Section 504, every child's right to learn, and inclusive educators!
Thank you for a wonderful event.
Visit our Google Photos gallery of the 2025 event. We look forward to celebrating inclusive teachers and educators with you again in 2026!
Mark Your Calendar
Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026
5-7 p.m.
Brickway Brewery & Distillery
1116 Jackson Street
Omaha, Nebraska
Free admission.
Anyone 21+ is welcome.
Ensure ALL Children Can Stay in School and Thrive
Honor Innovative Teachers Like Debora Basler Wisneski
Award Fund Donation PageEmpower Children and Change Lives
ERC Donation PageFeaturing
504 Reserve Whiskey
A limited-release whiskey produced by Brickway Brewery & Distillery celebrating Section 504 protections for people with disabilities will be sold at Raise the Bar. ERC receives a percentage of the profits from each bottle sold.
RAYGUN + ERC Tee
Wear your ERC pride and let everyone know: JUSTICE STARTS AT SCHOOL. ERC receives a portion of the profits from each tee sold.
Buy your tee online now!
ERC Tee by RAYGUNPresenting
Debora Basler Wisneski Inclusive Innovation in Education Award
This award is presented annually to a Nebraska educator who embodies the spirit of Dr. Debora Basler Wisneski, a bold educator demonstrating compassionate and courageous leadership, who builds belonging through innovation in the classroom and beyond.
2025 Award Winner: Dr. Meribeth Jackson
About Dr. Debora Basler Wisneski
Dr. Debora Basler Wisneski is a distinguished leader in early childhood education whose work has reshaped how communities and classrooms nurture every child’s right to learn. As the John T. Langan Community Chair in Early Childhood Education at the University of Nebraska Omaha, she has earned national recognition for her pioneering scholarship on play-based learning, equity-centered curriculum, and collaborative research initiatives that advance social justice in early education.
For six years she served as founding board president of Education Rights Counsel, guiding the ERC's growth with tenacity, integrity, and a passionate belief that every child deserves a voice in their education. Under her leadership, ERC forged powerful partnerships and developed pioneering strategies to protect educational rights statewide. The Debora Basler Wisneski Inclusive Innovation in Education Award celebrates her legacy—each year honoring a Nebraska educator who, like Dr. Wisneski, leads with compassion and courage, building belonging through innovation in the classroom and beyond.