The Spark | The Spark Behind Wisconsin Act 200 and Project Worth

The Spark

Project Worth was born from Kerri’s story, but its purpose reaches far beyond one person. Her case exposed a painful breakdown in justice and deeper gaps in the systems meant to protect children. Today, Project Worth is growing across Wisconsin for every child who deserved protection, every survivor who deserved to be heard, and every community willing to do better.

The abuse is not my whole story, but it is the part that shaped my voice and advocacy.

What began as telling the truth and simply trying to do the next right thing eventually led me to testify before the Wisconsin State Senate in support of what became Wisconsin Act 200.

That experience became the start of a deeper journey to keep learning, researching, and asking harder questions about how Wisconsin protects children.

What I once carried alone became part of a larger fight to better protect children and support survivors.

I learned my experience is not uncommon. I also learned children in child serving spaces do not have the same protections adults have in workspaces when sexual harassment, misconduct, or boundary violations occur.

That became part of the spark behind Project Worth.

Today, I am a wife to my loving husband Zac, a cat mom to Ellie, a godmother, a foster parent, counselor, daughter, and friend.

Kenosha is a beautiful community. I believe in a future where Wisconsin children are among the most protected in the nation, not the least.

Churches, schools, organizations, and communities should be among the safest places in a child’s life. Protecting children requires courage, accountability, prevention, and hard conversations held with grace.

As a mandated reporter, reporting to the same systems that failed to protect me and many others is not easy, but I continue to show up because change matters.

I never lost my faith. I lost trust in the systems that were supposed to protect children.

If you have been hurt, you are not alone.

Project Worth exists because children deserve better, and systems must do better.

For more on my advocacy and SB 333, please visit the Media & Advocacy section or review Wisconsin Act 200.

Run to the Roar

Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is face what is hard instead of running from it.

TL;DR: Abuse was reported. Systems and authorities failed to act. The risk continued. That failure became the foundation for advocacy, policy change, and Project Worth, so known patterns lead to protection, not silence.

Need immediate help? If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For confidential support, contact RAINN at 800-656-HOPE or visit RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline.

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Preview

Awareness

Explore grooming awareness, child protection gaps, prevention resources, and the sunflower and semicolon symbols of survival and healing.

Go to Awareness

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Will You Do the Same?

For Professionals

Educators, counselors, clergy, youth leaders, advocates, and decision-makers: children need adults willing to act early, ask harder questions, and choose protection over silence.

In my twenties, I carried this alone. I chose to speak up despite the personal cost, continuing to heal while systems failed to respond with protection.

I carried what systems should have.

Light the Way

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The Gap

System Gaps in Practice

Illinois DCFS centrally logged Kerri’s 2026 report of her own childhood abuse, which occurred primarily in Wisconsin from 2010–2012. Kenosha CPS has no record of the same abuse.

Kerri lived in Illinois while attending school in Wisconsin. Her minor residency was never discussed when she filed the Kenosha police report, and neither Illinois nor potential federal jurisdiction was explored.

Stronger protections existed, but were never activated.

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☀️ Reform Into Action

Where Hope Turns Into Action

Wisconsin can better protect children when prevention, clearer laws, coordinated response, and survivor informed care work together.

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Why Reform Matters

When current law allows warning signs to be missed, the solution has to be bigger than one school, one agency, or one officer.

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System Gaps Have Consequences

Weak documentation, unclear reporting paths, and disconnected response can leave children carrying harm that should have been interrupted earlier.

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Hope Requires Action

Meaningful reform is possible when leaders, advocates, and communities are willing to face hard truths and act sooner.

This work has connected Project Worth with people across Wisconsin who believe children deserve stronger protections and systems willing to act earlier.

Legislators and Community Advocates: Get Involved

Wisconsin can become a national leader in child protection through prevention, transparency, and courage.