Thursday Sessions
1:00 – 2:30 PM | ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER
FEATURED SESSION
174 Our Sankofa Moment: Together We Will Advance Educational Equity for Young Children
As a follow-up to the 2024 President’ s Session, this interactive session offers both a reflection on the past and a vision for what is possible in advancing equity for young children. Drawing upon the wisdom of NAEYC elders and the innovation of NAEYC early career professionals, NAEYC Board President Tonia Durden will join featured NAEYC leaders and members to reflect on how they have advanced educational equity in the past( mirrors) and envision how we can collectively advance equity and social justice in early childhood moving forward( windows).
Session Goals:
› Demonstrate how panelists have advanced— and plan to advance— equity in early childhood education
› Center how this work is informed and driven by the NAEYC Advancing Equity Position Statement
› Provide interactive roundtable discussions with panelists and members to share and explore leadership and action in advancing equity
› Update members on important organizational work and resources related to Advancing Equity( e. g., position statements, infant / toddler equity publications, etc.)
Tonia Durden, NAEYC Governing Board President Kelly Ramsey, NAEYC Governing Board Vice President Brian Johnson, NAEYC Governing Board Secretary Ann Terrell, Past NAEYC Governing Board President Raquel Munarriz Diaz, Past FLAEYC Board President Camille Mendez, FLAEYC Board Member Erica Colón, Head Teacher, MSU Child Development Laboratories
W109A
SPONSORED BY
175 Emerging Advocates: Scaffolding Educators to Engage in Public Policy Advocacy Jill Davis, University of Central Oklahoma Katie Fields, University of Central Oklahoma
Grace-Anne Sinclair, University of Central Oklahoma
W308B Adults Advocacy / Public Policy
176 Self-Regulation and Music: Tuning in to the Power of Music to Support the Most Challenging Behaviors Mary Anderson, My Music Starts Here
W101 Preschoolers Arts and Music
177 Noticing Nonverbal Knowledge in Math and Literacy Kateri Thunder, Math + Literacy Alisha Demchak, University of Virginia
W110B All Children Assessment of Young Children
178 Defining Neurodivergence Sarah Vanover, Kentucky Youth Advocates
W104 All Children
Children with Disabilities / Early Intervention
179 Can You Hear Me Now?: Listening to Black Mothers as They Navigate Early Childhood Education for Black Boys with Disabilities Karen Beard, The Ohio State University Troy Hunter, ElevateDD
W304AB Preschoolers
Children with Disabilities / Early Intervention
180 Inclusive Preschool: Integrating Students with Disabilities in the General Education Setting Jessica Corrie, Building Blocks
W304CD Preschoolers
Children with Disabilities / Early Intervention
86 2025 NAEYC Annual Conference: In this Place, We Learn. For Every Child, We Lead.