Earlier this month, Strategies for Children hosted the Early Childhood Summit at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Mass., where experts in the field shared their lived experience, knowledge, and best practices to help improve early childhood policy development.

“The energy at the Early Childhood Summit was truly electric—a reminder that the challenges we are facing as a nation are not destroying our individual sense of purpose and care for each other,” Diagneris “Nery” Garcia says of the summit. Garcia is Strategies’ Director of Communications. “Hope and collaboration and innovation are ingrained in who we are and all that we do.”

The Summit featured organizational updates from Strategies for Children and The Early Childhood Agenda, three panel discussions, and opportunities to make in-person connections with local colleagues and those from across the Commonwealth.

To learn more, check out the digital program. 

Here are some of the photos from the event provided by Troy B. Thompson Photography:

A warm welcome from Diagneris “Nery” Garcia, Strategies’ Director of Communications

Opening remarks from Marisa Fear, Strategies’ Director of Policy

Panel 1: Ages and Stages of Lived Experience
How people with lived experience are engaging in the early childhood systems change process. The panelists were (from left to right in the photograph):

• Angelina Latin, Clinical Social Work Master’s Student at Boston College

• Maggie Kilcoyne, Parent Resource Ambassador, Worcester Family Partnership

• Daiane Antonio, Mass Bay Community College, and 

• Shaakira Parker, moderator, Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellow, Strategies for Children

Summit participants.

Panel 2: Action Research!
The new Early Childhood Research Consortium shared its vision for action research and collaboration with the early childhood community. The panelists were (from left to right):

• Wendy Wagner Robeson, Senior Research Scientist and Director of Work, Families and Children Research Group, the Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College

• Yuzhu Xia, Evaluation and Data Manager, Department of Early Childhood, Boston Public Schools

• Kim Lucas, moderator, Northeastern University Professor of the Practice in Public Policy and Economic Justice 

• Rosa Guzman Turco, Director of Evaluation and Educational Excellence, Ellis Early Learning, and

• Kyle DeMeo Cook, Clinical Assistant Professor, Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development

Panel 3: Together in Worcester: Building a Stronger Early Childhood System
A discussion about the cross-sector system change work happening in Worcester through the lens of the Early Childhood Agenda’s five focus areas. The panelists were (from left to right in the second photo):

• Leslie Baker, Program Director, Center for Childcare Careers, Family Services of Central MA, An Affiliate of Seven Hills Foundation

• Maydee Morales, Director, Resiliency Center, Worcester Community Action Council

• Jo Elle Ward, Nurse, Birth Center Developer, Worcester Community Midwifery

• Beth Vietze, Coordinator, Worcester Family Partnership (CFCE)

• Kim Davenport, Chief Executive Officer, Edward Street

• Marisa Fear, moderator, Director of Policy, Strategies for Children

Amy O’Leary, Strategies’ Executive Director, shared her closing remarks.

The Early Childhood Summit was made possible with the generous support of our sponsors Rockland Trust Bank and Massachusetts Business Roundtable.

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