News

March 12, 2026

OCDEL Funding Available for Free Pediatric First Aid/CPR Training

Funding has become available through the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) to support free pediatric First Aid/CPR certification training for the next few months.

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All staff working in state Department of Human Services (DHS) certified child care programs are required to maintain current pediatric First Aid/CPR certification. OCDEL funding is now available to support free training opportunities from March to June.

The organization is partnering with the Early Childhood Education Linkage System (ECELS) program at the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to coordinate the free training offerings as part of the Emergency Response Training (ERT) project.

Child care workers are eligible for free training if they are currently employed by a licensed early childhood education center in Pennsylvania and if they meet at least one of the following criteria:

Their pediatric First Aid/CPR certification has expired or is set to expire within the next year
They are a newly-hired employee who must complete their initial certification within 90 days of their employment start date
Their certification is out of compliance due to a program citation

Priority for class assignments will be based on certification expiration date. Waitlists will be created if requests exceed project capacity.

Classes from approved instructors using the HSI Pediatric First Aid/CPR AED curriculum will be scheduled through mid-June or until funds are exhausted. Training can be requested as either an early childhood education program (minimums apply, classes will take place on-site) or an individual participant (training locations to be determined).

Requests will be approved on a rolling basis and accepted applicants will be contacted directly regarding the next steps. However, follow-up communication may be delayed at the start of the project window.

To request training or to search the FAQs, visit the ERT page on the ECELS website. Additional questions can be sent to ecels@paaap.org.

Additionally, child care providers can continue to access PQAS-approved pediatric First Aid/CPR training outside of the ERT project offerings, but they may have a cost associated with them. OCDEL will not reimburse for any training taken outside of the ERT project.

News

March 11, 2026

Thriving Kids Podcast Focuses on How to Talk About Racism with Children

Talking to children about racism, discrimination, and other social justice topics can be challenging and, for some, intimidating.

Some caregivers might be afraid of saying the wrong thing, while others might wait to bring it up until something happens at school or in the news.

But in a new Thriving Kids podcast, its hosts discuss why children benefit most when caregivers talk to them about such topics directly and early, using clear language.

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In the podcast, Dave Anderson, PhD, senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education at the Child Mind Institute, is joined by Isha Metzger, PhD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Georgia State University, to discuss how racism can affect children emotionally and how caregivers can help them to respond.

The discussion involves teaching children how to respond either when they experience discrimination or witness it happening to someone else. Anderson and Metzger also talk about what to do if one’s child is the one who says something harmful – and how to handle the situation directly and calmly.

Other tips provided by Thriving Kids on how to talk with children about racism and discrimination include:

Start early and be proactive about celebrating diversity at home, while taking part in regular conversations about race and identity.
Have open and honest conversations with children about racism and discrimination by talking about both individual acts of discrimination and larger systems of inequality. Use books, documentaries, and other age-appropriate media for examples.
Give your child words and actions they can use in the moment and practice simple ways to speak up when it’s safe – such as calling out a racist joke or refusing to go along with discriminatory behavior.
If your child experiences racism, validate what they feel and provide comfort and support. Children can feel hurt, isolated, angry, or confused. Let them know that these reactions make sense and keep the door open for them to talk.
In some situations, you might encourage a child to report racism or discrimination they experience to a trusted school official or counselor. Provide the right amount of support throughout the process based on the level of distress that the child has experienced.

News

Trying Together Names Latrobe Kinder-Schull Site Director as Advocate of the Month

Trying Together has selected Erin Schellenberger, site director of Latrobe Kinder-Schull, as its advocate of the month for March.

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Schellenberger is a long-time early childhood education champion who has 15 years of teaching experience and two years as a site director. She has been actively involved with Trying Together’s SWPA ECE Leadership Council, demonstrating her commitment to growing as a leader and early childhood education advocate.

“She continues to seek opportunities to make meaningful connections and learn new ways to strengthen her advocacy for the field,” according to a statement from Trying Together’s Policy Team regarding Schellenberger’s selection as advocate of the month. “We deeply appreciate our partnership with Erin and how she consistently shows up as a voice for children, families, and educators. We consider her one of our strongest ECE champions and look forward to her continued engagement in leadership opportunities.”

Schellenberger, who is involved in the SWPA ECE Leadership Council, said that ECE advocacy has long been important to her.

“Advocacy in early childhood education means being a voice for young children who cannot always speak for themselves,” she said. “It is about standing up for their needs, supporting families, and ensuring that every child feels safe, valued, and understood.”

She added that advocacy also involves collaborating with colleagues, community partners, and policymakers to create learning environments and policies that honor each child’s background and provide them with the strongest possible start in life.

Schellenberger started her work with the Leadership Team following a recommendation from her organization’s executive director, Eva Wood. Through the role, she has traveled to Harrisburg to meet with legislators and advocates for issues affecting early childhood education.

“I am encouraged that our state has begun to recognize the child care crisis and has included child care employees in the state budget,” she said. “While this is an important first step, there is still significant work to be done to recruit and retain qualified early childhood professionals. Sustainable investment and continued policy reform are essential to strengthening the field.”

Schellenberger said she remains committed to using her voice to influence state policy, promoting access to high-quality learning and protecting the rights of children, families, and educators.

“Advocacy is not a one-time effort, but an ongoing responsibility, and I will continue to encourage those around me to speak up and take action in support of our profession and the children we serve,” she said.

News

March 10, 2026

Resource Helps Users to Explore Arts Education for Students in Southwestern PA

Caregivers can search for programs supporting arts learning for students in Southwestern Pennsylvania through the Arts Ed Collaborative’s artlook® SWPA map.

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The no-cost, open-access map and searchable directory helps caregivers to find people, places, and programs supporting arts learning for students. It is the only source of its kind in Pennsylvania that brings together arts education data from schools, arts organizations, and teaching artists in a single platform.

Caregivers can use the search and filter tools on the website to find arts programs that match their specific needs and interests. Profiles provide up-to-date information about participating schools and partners, including details about their student arts programs and how to connect with them.

Some examples of how caregivers can use the artlook® SWPA website include:

Find Schools to Partner With
Find Arts Programs for Students
Find Professional Learning for Educators
Make a Connection (with a teaching artist, arts organization, or school)

Those who use the website can also attend in-person events where they can network and share best practices to expand, deepen, and diversify school-based arts partnerships. Arts programs can publish information about their offerings as well as receive personalized reports that provide detailed analysis of data to help gain insights about their programs.

For more information, visit the artlook® SWPA website.

News

PA Promise for Children Releases List of March Books for Preschoolers

PA Promise for Children has released its list of March books for kindergarteners in its Kindergarten Here I Come newsletter.

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The list is broken down into four categories – Language and Literacy Skills, Social and Emotional Development, Social Studies Thinking, and Mathematical Thinking and Expression.

The eight books on the list include:

Language and Literacy Skills

The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale (Steven Guarnaccia)
Iggy Peck, Architect (Andrea Beaty)

Social and Emotional Development

Bear’s New Friend (Karma Wilson)
Froggy Gets Dressed (Jonathan London)

Social Studies Thinking

One Watermelon Seed (Celia Lottridge)
Big and Little (Steve Jenkins)

Mathematical Thinking and Expression

So Many Circles, So Many Squares (Tana Hoban)
When a Line Bends… A Shape Begins (Rhonda Gowler Greene)

News

March 9, 2026

Application Process Open for LEAF Scholarships

The application process for LEAF Scholarships – which provide services to individuals with disabilities and their family members – is now open.

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The program provides scholarships of up to $750 per person – per year – to assist individuals with disabilities and their families in attending conferences, training sessions, and comparable activities directly related to skill development and self-advocacy, leadership, and education.

The application should be for attendance at activities that are scheduled through March 31. Those interested can apply for the scholarship online.

No more than 10 scholarships will be awarded per event and the total scholarship amount awarded for any single event will not exceed $7,500. Scholarships will be awarded until the allotted funds are used.

The scholarship’s eligibility instructions, pre-event questions, and LEAF application can all be found on the scholarship’s website.

News

How to Prepare and Register Children for Summer Camp

With the ongoing snow and frigid temperatures, summer might still seem far away – but those looking to place children in summer camps should begin thinking about where to find spots for them.

Allegheny County Search Tool

Caregivers can find available spots for children at Allegheny County early learning, after school, summer camp, and virtual programs on Allegheny Child Care for Families’ website. The website – a collaboration between Trying Together and APOST – enables caregivers to explore programs based on location or children’s age and also includes virtual programs.

Providers regularly update information regarding available spots and whether they are accepting new families. As summer camp signup season approaches, providers should remember to update their profiles on the website. Caregivers can also create an account to save a list of their favorite child care providers.

How to Prepare Your Child for Summer Camp

While going away to summer camp can be exciting and provide a sense of independence for some children and young adults, it can also create anxiety for others.

The Child Mind Institute put together a list of resources regarding summer camp anxiety to help caregivers in easing children’s minds for when they will spend the night away from home.

In one article, the institute lists a variety of ways that caregivers can help children to overcome pre-camp anxiety – including letting them feel a sense of ownership over the experience, not trivializing their concerns or offering glib reassurances, reflecting on your own formative experiences away from home and sharing positive aspects, and not lingering at the bus stop or drop-off point.

In an article from New York Presbyterian on a similar topic, suggestions to help children get the most out of their summer camp experience include not promising to pick up a child as soon as they get homesick, doing a dry run by visiting the camp ahead of time, sending along a favorite stuffed animal, or suggesting they talk to a camp counselor about any challenges they have.

Allegheny County Summer Camp Options

In February, Kidsburgh released its annual list of local summer camps for children of all ages and interests. This year, among the 75 camps listed were:

August Wilson African American Cultural Center’s Hip Hop Camp
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Pittsburgh Musical Theater Conservatory
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium
Shady Side Academy
Jewish Community Center
National Aviary
Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History
Pittsburgh Public Theater Summer Camps

In the Kidsburgh article, each summer camp listing is accompanied by information on the program and registration.

Programs listed in Allegheny Child Care for Families’ database include the Homewood-Brushton YMCA, Venture Outdoors, Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania, and the Sarah Heinz House Association, among others.

Summer Camp Options in Other Counties

There are a variety of options for summer camps in other nearby western Pennsylvania counties. These include:

Armstrong County

Beaver County

Butler County

Fayette County

Greene County

Indiana County

Lawrence County

Washington County

Westmoreland County

News

March 5, 2026

Trying Together Introduces New Homepage and Navigation

To better serve the community and ensure an easy user experience, Trying Together has updated its homepage and navigation.

Homepage

When educators, families, and community members scroll our homepage, they will have an opportunity to learn more about who we are and our impact on the community. Users can view featured resources, news, and events to keep up with the latest at Trying Together and in early childhood education.

The information on this page will change regularly, based on organizational priorities.

Navigation

Depending on their reason for visiting our website, users can use the navigation to quickly find what they are looking for. Information is categorized by advocacy, community resources, professional growth, and support our work.

Interested in learning more about Trying Together’s career development offerings? Select “Professional Growth” and see options like “Advance Your Career.” Want to see positive changes in the field? Choose “Advocacy” to learn more about our priorities and current actions.

We have also made it easier to find ways to support our work through donations, sponsorships, and more.

Take a few minutes to explore our website. We will continue to make updates to our pages and content in the coming months.

News

March 4, 2026

Teach Plus Accepting Applications for 2026-27 Fellowship

Teach Plus Pennsylvania is currently accepting applications for the 2026-27 Pennsylvania Teaching Policy Fellowship.

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The paid fellowship will be awarded to 30 outstanding Pennsylvania teachers who are looking to deepen their knowledge of education policy and amplify the voices of teacher leaders in the state.

Policy fellows will receive a $1,500 stipend and will expand their influence without leaving the classroom through guided work, including:

Two in-person training sessions, monthly virtual meetings, and smaller, issues-focused working groups
Training through expert-led modules on such topics as Storytelling for Impact, Policy 101, Advocacy & Organizing, Evidence-Based Policymaking, Testifying and Meeting with Decision Makers, Op-Ed Writing, and Media Relations
Direct engagement with key stakeholders and policymakers
Pursuit of a policy research or advocacy project that addresses a pressing state-level policy issue

Policy focus areas for 2026-27 include early childhood education, equitable funding, reimagining the teaching role, advancing the science of reading, and expanding and diversifying the teacher pipeline.

To qualify for the fellowship, one must:

Be a current educator (early childhood to 12th grade) in a Pennsylvania public, charter, or early childhood education setting with at least two full years of teaching experience by June 2025
Have a track record of success teaching students in Pennsylvania
Be ready to dedicate time and passion to learning about policy and advocating on behalf of changes that affect students

Those interested in the fellowship should apply by Monday, May 11. More information on the application process can be found on the Teach Plus website.

News

Homewood Hub to Host Ancestral Wellness Series This Spring

The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center will host a three-part series this spring that will cover everything from ancestral food traditions and nature-based healing to lifestyle transformation.

Stronger Together: DAWA Ancestral Wellness Series will include sessions from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the following Fridays – April 10, May 8, and June 12. The hands-on workshops are aimed at Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center caregivers.

Session 1

On April 10, Remembering Our Roots: Ancestral Foodways will enable participants to explore ancestral food traditions and how disconnection from traditional ways of eating has affect community health.

Activities include group memory sharing of foods, remedies, and rituals from childhood; an introduction to ancestral wellness principles, beginning guided DAWA wellness journals, and creating an herbal infusion (tincture or oxymel) to take home at the end of the series.

Session 2

The May 8 session, Listening to the Body and Nature as Medicine, blends organ wellness and nature-based healing, teaching participants how to listen to their bodies while reconnecting with the earth.

Topics will include understanding body signals and signs of imbalance, organ wellness, simple seasonal ancestral cleansing practices, and grounding, sunlight, fresh air, and basic plant medicine.

Activities during this session include body-awareness practices, creating an organ-support herbal blend, and planting seeds to take home and nurture. The session will also include time for journal reflection.

Session 3

On June 12, Creating Our New Life: Vision and Commitment will enable participants to complete their herbal infusion from the first week and engage in a session focused on identity, affirmations, and lifestyle transformation.

Activities during this session include straining and bottling herbal infusion, a DIY herbal tea station, affirmation board creation, and a final sharing circle during which participants will present their personal wellness commitments.

Each family attending all three sessions will receive a $50 gift card.