June 27, 2025 Trying Together Calls for Presentation Proposals for October UnConference Trying Together invites those interested in presenting at its October UnConference, “From Representation to Inclusion,” to submit proposals for presentation topics relating to working with families of other cultures in early learning settings. Learn More Trying Together’s UnConference is an innovative, hands-on professional development training format where a deeper experience is provided around a particular theme related to early childhood education. Speakers are invited to present and participants are encouraged to engage hands-on in the workshops. Trying Together’s upcoming event, UnConference: From Representation to Inclusion, will be held on Oct. 4 at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. Trying Together is seeking a focused range of topical presentations for the UnConference, which aims to be an introduction to working with families of other cultures in early learning settings. The audience for the UnConference will be early childhood educators – employees of child care and early learning programs – who may have limited experience working with children and families from cultures other than their own. To submit a proposal, download the submission form. Then, submit the proposal as an attachment to learning@tryingtogether.org with the subject line “October 2025 Unconference Proposal” by 11:59 p.m. on July 25. Choosing Topics Appropriate topic areas include, but are not limited to: Language access Early literacy in English learner populations Trauma-informed care for early learners Early intervention access for multicultural families Using the ASQ or other assessment tools with non-English speakers Considerations around social emotional learning/mental health Engaging with and showcasing the diversity in your child care program Important distinctions between immigrants and refugees Technology tools to support non-English speaking families Cross cultural parenting practices/family systems Engaging fathers from other cultures Culturally specific workshops – for example, working with Muslim or Latinx families (lived experience preferred) Community needs and resources to meet them Immigrant rights and advocacy School enrollment, adjustment, engagement, and involvement for immigrant children and their families, including kindergarten transition Understanding microaggressions in cross-cultural settings Proposals will be reviewed by the UnConference’s planning committee, which will review proposals based on: Extent to which the proposal targets and is relevant to the early learning child care workforce in Southwestern Pennsylvania Experience/expertise of presenters Definition and focus of the topic Ability to engage participants in discussion and hands-on learning experiences Practical application of material and takeaways Timeliness and importance of topic Each workshop proposal should: Encourage active learning Present culturally sensitive ideas, practices, and/or relevant research aimed at positioning attendees as leaders at the early learning programs in which they work Offer strategies for effective implementation of information acquired Include presenters who have significant expertise in the topic area and who have spoken successfully in front of groups Cover a 90-minute block of time The proposal form will ask for a program description, learning objectives, and instructional methods. Those submitting proposals should provide enough detail, so the planning committee can understand how the session will be structured and which key issues will be covered. Stipends and Important Dates Trying Together will offer an honorarium of $250 to any organization or individual (if not affiliated with an organization) whose proposal is chosen to be presented at the UnConference. This opportunity is open to presenters located in Southwest Pennsylvania. Proposals will be due on July 25 and all applicants will be notified by Aug. 15 about the status of their proposal and the time of their workshop. Presentation slides and materials/overviews are due electronically by Sept. 19. The UnConference will take place on Oct. 4.
June 17, 2025 Trying Together Exec Director Featured on Women and Girls Foundation Podcast Trying Together’s executive director recently discussed the organization’s mission and the need for an increase in early childhood education workers’ wages on the Women and Girls Foundation podcast. Learn More The podcast, led by host Camila Rivera-Tinsley, frequently features guests who are “working toward a more equitable future” and tackles such topics as gender, racial, and environmental justice. In a recent episode, Tinsley discussed issues surrounding early child care – from parents seeking child care for their children so they can work to those employed in the field in need of higher wages – with Cara Ciminillo, Trying Together’s executive director. On the podcast, Ciminillo talks about how she got involved in early childhood education, April’s Month of the Young Child, the origin of Trying Together’s name, and the organization’s advocacy efforts during the state budget season. Ciminillo talked about how early childhood education is an overwhelmingly women-led field. “Probably about 96 percent of all early learning experiences and child care experiences are led by and provided by women,” she said. “It is a women-led field and has a high number of women of color who lead the work in this industry. They are brain builders.” Ciminillo said the success of many of the state’s industries is tied to whether communities provide adequate child care options. She added that the state’s early childhood education teacher shortage is caused by the industry’s low wages. “If you want to solve (the problems of) an industry’s workforce, you have to solve for the child care workforce,” she said. “It’s very much a challenge in terms of our collective economic mobility if we don’t solve the economics of child care and the wages they make.” To learn more, watch Ciminillo and Rivera-Tinsley discuss early childhood education on the Women and Girls Foundation podcast.
June 4, 2025 Trying Together Exec Director Discusses Your Career, Our Future on Yinz Are Good Podcast Trying Together’s executive director discussed the Your Career, Our Future campaign alongside the Early Excellence Project on Yinz are Good’s latest podcast. Learn More Cara Ciminillo, Trying Together’s executive director, joined Dr. DaVonna Shannon, director of research and impact for the Early Excellence Project, to discuss the initiative with Yinz are Good host Tressa Glover. The Early Excellence Project champions Black and Brown child care providers by fostering equality, equity, and accessibility in early childhood education. Ciminillo and Shannon discussed how the Your Career, Our Future campaign has collected stories from early educators and families in the Pittsburgh region with the intention that their shared experiences will inspire more people to answer the call to become early educators. Making Educators the Centerpiece The campaign centers around 15 educators and parents, who relay their positive experiences with the early childhood education field. Ciminillo cited several stories from the campaign. One educator entered the the profession at a young age and rose from being a classroom aide to an executive director. Another was a stay-at-home father who become a classroom educator due to his interest in understanding how his child was developing. “We’re always trying to center the educator,” Ciminillo said. “They are exemplars of people coming into the field. We ask how we can help others to see themselves in these stories to draw other people to the field. You need to help people see what opportunities exist, so making provider stories the centerpiece is important.” A Need for Investment Ciminillo and Shannon said the campaign aims to combat an ongoing early educator shortage that has resulted in repercussions for businesses, the economy, and local communities. “One of the pain points that we’ve heard frequently – it predated COVID and was exacerbated after COVID – is that child care programs are struggling with staffing,” Ciminillo said. “We are a field where wages are suppressed and the reason why is that families can’t pay more. Child care is expensive and it’s a regulated system; it’s based on a child-to-staff ratio. The public system has not invested enough to alleviate that problem.” Ciminillo said that this lack of investment in early childhood education has resulted in low wages for teachers and, in turn, teachers leaving the profession as well as challenges in recruiting and retaining them. “What happens is that providers subsidize (a lack of funding) with their own wages,” she said. “As a result, you’re not getting as much interest in going into the field as other fields that are higher income-generating.” Ciminillo noted that many early childhood educators were making just over $9 per hour prior to COVID-19, but are now earning an average $15. However, she said wages will need to continue to rise due to the profession’s often challenging nature. She said the job’s primary focus is “brain building.” Shannon added that part of the Your Career, Our Future campaign involves letting families know that early childhood education is not “babysitting.” “Children are developing in these early childhood programs, which are very high-quality,” she said. “The message to employers is: If you don’t know how to invest in early childhood education, you will lose staff. People won’t be able to work if they can’t afford child care.” To listen to the entire interview, “Episode 168: Trying Together & Early Excellence Project’s Your Career, Our Future Campaign,” visit the Yinz are Good podcast’s website.
May 27, 2025 PACCA Partners with Alvernia University to Offer T.E.A.C.H. Scholarships The Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) has established a new partnership with Alvernia University to offer T.E.A.C.H. bachelor’s degree scholarships. Learn More The university is now offering a fully online, accelerated Early Childhood Education bachelor’s degree program with PK-4 teacher certification. More details for the degree program include: Fully online with observation and student teaching completed local to the student Mindfully designed with flexibility for working adults Generous transfer credit policy as well as a streamlined associate to bachelor’s degree pathway program Approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education The university is a PACCA/T.E.A.C.H. scholarship-approved institution Those interested in learning more about the program can attend a virtual information session on Wednesday, June 4 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Attendees are asked to register in advance for the session. After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email with a link to log onto the screen.
May 15, 2025 Early Childhood Educators Share the Day-to-Day Realities of Working in Child Care Programs Pennsylvania early childhood educators joined Trying Together and partner organizations on May 13 in Harrisburg to advocate for investments in workforce recruitment and retention and share at a press conference a recently released photovoice story map that highlights the joys and challenges of working in the early childhood field. A Day in the Life The photovoice story map, titled “A Day in the Life,” shares a glimpse into the day-to-day reality of working in child care programs. During the event, participants used these stories to call attention to widespread challenges in the field and urged further investments in the state’s early childhood education system. Brie Rice and Aydan Roney met with state Rep. Eric Nelson. Brie Rice, of JB’s Bright Beginnings in North Huntingdon, discussed the often-overlooked dedication of early childhood educators who spend significant time outside of work hours and their own money to keep young learners engaged. “Let us draw you a picture of what happens in early education – gifted early childhood educators are making the heartbreaking decision to leave their passion behind in the classroom for higher-paying jobs in other sectors,” she said. “To raise wages, we would need to increase tuition. Parents can’t afford to pay more, and teachers can’t afford to make less. Without public investment in the workforce, the broken child care system is going to collapse.” State Sen. Lindsey Williams (D-38th District) said that the state should support educators by investing more in the early childhood education system. “Early childhood educators are the cornerstone of a family and child’s quality experience in a child care program, offering safe, nurturing, and responsive environments where children grow, learn, and thrive,” Williams said. “However, talented early educators are leaving the field due to abysmal pay and families’ access to quality child care is directly impacted. By investing funding proposed by Gov. (Josh) Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget in recruitment and retention bonuses for licensed child care providers, child care programs will be able to provide competitive wages to caregivers.” According to a March 2024 report from the state’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO), the average child care teacher in Pennsylvania earns $15.15 per hour, less than $32,000 annually. Shapiro has proposed a $55 million investment in child care recruitment and retention. Data from a September 2024 Start Strong PA survey of 1,140 child care providers showed more than 3,000 open positions. If those positions were filled, an estimated 25,320 more children could be served. In partnership with the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA campaigns, Trying Together was joined by fellow campaign partners First Up, PennAEYC, Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA), and Fight Crime: Invest in Kids/Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children. Alongside early childhood educators from across the state, they met with more than 30 state legislators to advocate for increased investments in early care and education. During their visits in Harrisburg, they urged the General Assembly to: Support the proposed investment of $55 million in a new and recurring Child Care Recruitment and Retention line item to grant licensed child care providers participating in the child care subsidy program an additional $1,000 per educator To more fully address the child care staffing crisis and its impact on working families, businesses, and the economy, consider an investment above the proposed $55 million “Classrooms are empty, centers are closing, teachers are fleeing, families are being stranded without care, and children are being left without educational resources,” said Hayley Butler, an educator at Crafton Children’s Center in Allegheny County. “Recruitment and retention desperately need to be taken seriously because when a teacher leaves, a domino effect occurs. A teacher leaving can result in a family losing access to quality care options. While we know that there are many industries in need of support, our sector is the workforce behind the workforce, and we will not solve the labor issues without investing directly in our early education professionals.” To better understand what is taking place in the early childhood education sector, view Trying Together’s “A Day in the Life” photovoice storytelling project. Ready to take action? Sign the petition urging the Pennsylvania General Assembly to invest, at minimum, the governor’s proposed $55 million in new and recurring state funding to implement a child care teacher recruitment and retention initiative to fix our child care staffing crisis.
May 13, 2025 PACCA, Alvernia University to Host Virtual Session on New T.E.A.C.H. Scholarships The Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) will hold a virtual information session on a new partnership with Alvernia University to offer T.E.A.C.H. bachelor’s degree scholarships. Learn More The university is now offering a fully online, accelerated Early Childhood Education bachelor’s degree program with PK-4 teacher certification. More details for the degree program include: Fully online with observation and student teaching completed local to the student Mindfully designed with flexibility for working adults Generous transfer credit policy as well as a streamlined associate to bachelor’s degree pathway program Approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education The university is a PACCA/T.E.A.C.H. scholarship-approved institution Those interested in learning more about the program can attend a virtual information session on Wednesday, June 4 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Attendees are asked to register in advance for the session. After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email with a link to log onto the screen.
April 29, 2025 Carlow University to Host Early Childhood Education and Apprenticeship Open Houses Carlow University will host an early childhood education and apprenticeship open house on two dates in May. Learn More Attendees will be able to learn about the university’s bachelor’s degree educational tracks in Early Childhood PreK-4 and Early Development and Learning during the open houses. The dates and times for the open houses are: Monday, May 19 at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom Tuesday, May 20 at 1:30 p.m. on Zoom More information on the programs can be found on Carlow University’s website for the Early Childhood Education degree program. According to the website, Carlow is one of the few private schools that accepts such state-sponsored scholarship opportunities as TEACH, Rising Stars, and PASSHE. For more information, contact Susan Polojac MEd, director of the Dr. Rae Ann Hirsh Apprenticeship Program for Early Childhood Education, by calling 412-578-6371 or emailing slpolojac@carlow.edu.
April 16, 2025 Trying Together Honors Early Childhood Educators at Annual Celebration Dinner Nearly 800 early childhood educators and advocates joined Trying Together on April 10 for its Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner at Acrisure Stadium. The Westinghouse Academy marching band greeted attendees as they arrived at the event, which included a dinner, photo booth, raffle prizes, and networking. The formal presentation featured a video from Governor Josh Shapiro, who spoke about the importance of early childhood education in Pennsylvania and proposed investments for recruitment and retention. Honorees Trying Together Executive Director Cara Ciminillo paid tribute to the dinner’s two honorees – Riverview Children’s Center Executive Director Betty Lisowski and Dr. Aisha White, program director for the Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education (P.R.I.D.E.) at the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Child Development. “With more than 40 years’ experience, Betty has been the catalyst for sustained, high-quality early care and education and expansion at Riverview Children’s Center,” Ciminillo said of Lisowski. “Betty has positively impacted thousands of children, families, and colleagues through the high-quality care and education Riverview provides while also being a working mother of three.” Lisowski’s co-workers at Riverview paid homage to her work at the center in a video. Lisowski cited author and speaker Jim Collins’ quote that “great vision without great people is irrelevant” in describing those with whom she has worked in early childhood education. “I am truly blessed to have spent my entire 43-year career in this field,” she said. “It has been a journey I wouldn’t trade for anything. I’ve loved the work, but more importantly I’ve loved and cherished the people I’ve had the privilege to work with.” Ciminillo noted Dr. White’s work in helping children find pride in their racial identity as well as her decades-long engagement in the arts, social activism and work involving racial awareness. During a speech following her own tribute video, White noted that many children in America are struggling, citing Black infant mortality rates that are nearly two times higher than the national average for all races or ethnicities and the fact that 11 million U.S. children live in poverty and 400,000 in foster care. “While things are not good for children across the board, there’s an extra burden on children of color – and especially Black children – and that’s the burden of racism,” she said. “With respect to race, what we can do is pretty simple: Support children’s positive racial identity development in as many ways as we can, as often as we can, and as effectively as we can.” Ciminillo also recognized two regional educators – Lesely Crawford, executive director of the ABK Learning and Development Center, and Eva Wood, executive director of Ligonier Valley Learning Center in Latrobe – who were recent honorees at the PennAEYC Voice for Children Awards. Valuing Educators During a toast to all of the early childhood educators in attendance, Ciminillo said that a society that values its children must also value those who care for them. “Tonight, we gather during the Month of the Young Child not just to celebrate, but to honor you,” she said. “Your work is essential. It always has been. But more and more, the world is beginning to understand what you’ve long known – that care is not just an individual act of kindness, it is a public good.”
April 1, 2025 Trying Together Unveils Early Intervention Toolkit Trying Together recently launched its Early Intervention Toolkit, a comprehensive guide designed to provide vital tools, strategies, and resources for early care and education programs, Early Intervention professionals, and families in Allegheny County. Learn More The toolkit, which was unveiled during Trying Together’s UnConference at the Kaufmann Center in March, was developed with two main goals: To increase mutual understanding between ECE programs and Early Intervention (EI) services To strengthen the collaborative relationship between ECE professionals, EI professionals, and families Users of the toolkit can explore a variety of resources online, but also have the option to print individual resources. Examples include: An introduction to Early Intervention How to connect families with Early Intervention ECE and EI collaboration Inclusive ECE environments Additional resources For more information, take a look at Trying Together’s Early Intervention Toolkit. Training Sessions Trying Together will host training sessions on the toolkit this spring during which participants will discover how to navigate it to access a variety of resources for both parents and educators. Participants’ real-world needs will be used to identify resources from the toolkit to apply in their classroom settings. The sessions will be held on Zoom. The course costs $20. The dates for the course include: Monday, April 28 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 21 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, June 13 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Registration for the training sessions is open.
March 27, 2025 Trying Together’s Friendraiser Event in the Strip District Trying Together’s board of directors will host a fundraiser to share information about the organization’s mission and celebrate its impact during a Friendraiser on Thursday, May 15 at Kingfly Spirits. Learn More Registration is now open! The deadline to register is Monday, May 5. Guests interested in learning more about advocating for early childhood and expanding their network are invited for an evening of information and connection. Tickets are a donation of $100 per person. The event will include light appetizers and participants will receive a drink ticket for one cocktail. A cash bar will also be available. Donations will help Trying Together continue to provide high-quality care and education for young children through advocacy, community resources, and professional growth opportunities for the needs and rights of children, their families, and the individuals who interact with them. The Friendraiser will run from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Kingfly Spirits, located at 2613 Smallman Street in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. Questions should be emailed to Kerry Chapman, Trying Together’s assistant director of development, at kerry@tryingtogether.org or call 412.206.1053.
