News

February 4, 2026

Winter Wellness & Family Connections Event

Jeremiah’s Place, the Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal, and Trying Together will host a Winter Wellness and Family Connections Event on Wednesday, February 18.

Learn More

The event is a welcoming gathering for families with young children that combines practical winter supports, family-friendly activities, and space for connection and listening.

It will include light snacks, children’s activities, winter wellness, comfort giveaways, and opportunities to support families in tangible ways and to listen to parents’ hopes, needs, and concerns.

The event will run from noon to 1 p.m. – during drop-in play hours – on February 18 at the Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center, located at 7219 Kelly Street in Pittsburgh.

News

February 2, 2026

Capturing Moments: Planning for and Conducting Classroom Observations

This session will introduce early education professionals to the importance and value of purposeful observation.

Through discussions and activities, instructors will describe and strategize ways to incorporate systematic and intentional observation into daily classroom experiences. Participants will also discuss how observation can be used to support individual children and improve the overall quality of the learning environment.

When: Monday, March 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost: $20
Location: ZOOM
Register

News

January 30, 2026

Trying Together Calls for Presentation Proposals for June UnConference

Trying Together invites those interested in presenting at its June 11 UnConference, “Out-of-School Time,” to submit proposals for presentations relating to that topic by Friday, March 6.

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, in partnership with APOST and Allegheny County DHS, will host UnConference: Out-of-School-Time, on Thursday, June 11. More details will follow on the location and time. PQAS and Act 48 credits will be available for attendees.

Presentation Topics

Trying Together is seeking a focused range of topical presentations for the UnConference, which will focus on the topic of out-of-school-time. The audience for the UnConference will be educators, staff, and administrators working with children in summer programs, engaged parents and caregivers, and early childhood education and out-of-school time advocates.

Those submitting proposals should design them to fit a 90-minute session. Appropriate topics include – but are not limited to:

Mental health and social-emotional well-being
Poverty responses
Trauma-informed practices for OST programs
Positive behavior management
Game-based learning strategies
Project-based learning for after school and summer programs
Managing interpersonal conflict among staff
Parent and family engagement for OST programs
The importance of play

Proposals will be selected based on a variety of criteria, including the extent to which the proposal targets and is relevant to the ECE workforce, experience or 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, and timeliness and importance of the topic.

Each workshop proposal should encourage active learning; present culturally inclusive 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 cover a 90-minute block of time.

Submitting a Proposal

Trying Together will offer a stipend of $250 for any organization or individual whose proposal is chosen to be presented at the UnConference. Proposals will be due on March 6 and, on March 16, applicants will be notified about the status of their proposal. Presentation slides and materials as well as an overview of the presentation will be due on May 28.

To submit a proposal, applicants should download the submission form and save it to their desktop. Then, submit the proposal as an attachment to learning@tryingtogether.org with the subject line “June 2026 UnConference Proposal” no later than 11:59 p.m. on March 6.

For more information on submitting proposals for Trying Together’s UnConference, check out this flyer.

Trying Together recognizes that summer programs may not have hired their summer staff yet. If you know how many staff you plan to send to the UnConference, we strongly encourage you to reserve their spots now. We will follow up later to get staff contact information. To reserve spots for your staff, email Gabby Lisella at gabby@tryingtogether.org.

News

January 29, 2026

Where Does the Money Come From?

Join First Up, PennAEYC and Trying Together for “Where Does the Money Come From? Understanding Funding Streams in the ECE System.” Participants will learn about the various funding sources that relate to early childhood programming and who benefits from each.

Participants will also discuss the overall scarcity of funds and learn strategies to advocate for the needs of early educators and the children and families they serve. The session will be presented in English with live Spanish interpretation, and ECE professionals can receive 1.5 PQAS hours.

Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at 1:00-2:30 p.m. Register here

Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 6:30-8:00 p.m. Register here

News

Where Does the Money Come From?

Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at 1:00-2:30 p.m. Register here

Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 6:30-8:00 p.m. Register here

News

Advocacy Fellows Connect During Kickoff Meeting

Trying Together’s 2026 advocacy fellows met for the first time on January 27 to kick off their immersive, yearlong advocacy journey.

Learn More

The meeting – which was held virtually due to Pittsburgh weather conditions, but will be held in person in subsequent months – introduced the fellows to Trying Together’s policy team and each other.

“Over the course of the year, we see our fellows develop a lot of growth and confidence in using their voices to support their own work,” said Executive Director Cara Ciminillo during her introduction to the fellows. “Our job is to help you all feel good about what you do and have the necessary tools, skills, and knowledge to get the recognition and the investments for the work you’re doing every day.”

The fellows represent a wide variety of careers and experience in the early childhood education field – including educators, child care program owners, administrative professionals, researchers, early learning consultants, parents, and more.

Many of the new fellows expressed interest in elevating child care as a profession and working to help policymakers learn how they can help child care programs.

Following introductions, attendees learned about the history of early childhood education and the various investments achieved over the decades, including the $25 million in additional funding that was allocated for early childhood education in the most recent Pennsylvania state budget as a result of advocacy.

During the course of the fellowship, participants will work their way through an advocacy workbook by mapping out their advocacy journey, reflecting on goals, practicing real strategies, tracking their progress, and building toward their final projects. Their final presentations will conclude with a gallery walk in November.

News

January 15, 2026

Trying Together Names Indi Kids Director as Advocate of the Month

Trying Together has named Stephanie McAdoo, director of Indiana’s Indi Kids preschool, as its January 2026 Advocate of the Month.

Learn More

The Advocate of the Month award goes to providers who demonstrate exceptional commitment, compassion, and leadership in the field of early childhood education. Trying Together chose McAdoo because of her consistent and reliable work and advocacy for early childhood education in Indiana County and statewide.

“Stephanie works tirelessly to manage not only her own program and the challenges that come with that, but also does extra work to make sure the whole field is being supported,” said the Trying Together policy team.

Honoree Statement

In an honoree statement, McAdoo said that advocacy is important to her, and that she and many other educators spoke up for early care and education amid the state’s ongoing budget impasse.

McAdoo participated in the “Day in the Life” photovoice project, which shared the joys and challenges of the child care field.

“We told our stories of dedicated teachers struggling to make ends meet on unlivable wages and grappling with decisions to leave a field that they love, of programs trying to balance budgets and struggling with decisions to raise rates and risk losing families or forgo wage increases and risk losing teachers,” McAdoo said.

She added that she and other advocates voice repeatedly that the true cost of care is unaffordable to most families and when the cost of care cannot be put on families, educators end up subsidizing the system through lower pay.

McAdoo said she appreciated that Gov. Josh Shapiro and members of the General Assembly voted to make early care and education a priority. The result was a passed budget with a new $25 million educator recruitment and retention line item.

She added that Trying Together and PennAEYC stood with her in support of her advocacy efforts.

“I will continue to raise my voice to ensure early care and education gets the investment it so desperately needs and deserves,” she said. “Our families deserve quality programs, our children deserve qualified teachers, and our teachers deserve livable wages.”

See her full statement.

News

January 8, 2026

Celebrating Together: 30th Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner

Trying Together will hold its annual event to celebrate the Month of the Young Child (MOYC) and the work of early childhood educators on Thursday, April 30.

Learn More

This year, Trying Together will host Celebrating Together, an evening of formal events that includes a VIP Reception to present the inaugural Governor Josh Shapiro Keystone Award for Early Childhood Advocacy. This will be followed by the 30th Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner, with support from PNC Grow Up Great.

Reserve your tickets.

DATE
Thursday, April 30

TIME
• VIP Reception | 4:45 – 6 p.m. (registration opens at 4:30) | Bridges Ballroom
• Dinner | 5:45 – 9 p.m. (registration opens at 5:30) | Event Center

LOCATION
Rivers Casino
777 Casino Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15212

NOTE: Dinner guests are requested to arrive and be seated for opening remarks by 6:15 p.m. sharp. As an incentive, guests who are checked in and seated by this time will receive extra register-to-win tickets.

VIP Reception

VIP Reception guests will enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres, signature cocktails/mocktails, and networking while supporting the work of early childhood educators. As this will be a brief reception, there will be a mix of high-top and seated tables. Please indicate any accessibility needs at the time of registration.

Individual Ticket: $350
Group of 5 Tickets: $1,400 (a $350 discount)

NOTE: VIP Reception tickets include complimentary admission to the dinner immediately following; please indicate during registration whether you will also attend the dinner.

30th Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner

The dinner will immediately follow the VIP Reception with hors d’oeuvres, food stations, music, register-to-win opportunities, photo booths, and more.

Educator Ticket: $30
General Admission Ticket: $150

NOTE: Educators will be asked to provide the name of their early learning program during registration to be eligible for the educator ticket rate.

Other Information

All registrants must provide a unique first name, last name, and email address for their guests. However, placeholder information can be used temporarily at the time of registration for unconfirmed guests, and registrants must update all guest information through their confirmation email by Thursday, April 16 at 5 p.m. Additionally, educators will be required to indicate their early learning program, and guests under 21 must provide a designated chaperone at the time of registration. Please refer to our registration guide for support.

The TicketStripe platform accepts Credit/Debit Card; Apple Pay and Google Pay (when enabled on devices); and ACH payments through Stripe. If your program would prefer to be invoiced, contact Gabby Lisella at gabby@tryingtogether.org.

VIP Reception guests who are attending the dinner will have reserved seating in the Event Center. Dinner registrants who have at least 10 confirmed guests (by April 16 at 5 p.m.) will be contacted before the event and provided with a designated table number to share with their guests. A seating chart will be available for reference the day of the event. All other available seating will be on a first come, first served basis.

Free parking will be available in the Rivers Casino parking garage. Valet parking is also available for a $12 fee.

It is recommended that VIP Reception guests dress in cocktail attire. While we have never had a formal dress code for the dinner, many have used it as an opportunity to dress up.

Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options will be available. Certified kosher meals can be made available upon request at the time of registration.

Rivers Casino is ADA compliant. Language interpretation and audio/visual assistance can be provided upon request when indicated at the time of registration. VIP Reception and dinner seating will be reserved for those who indicate accessibility needs at the time of registration.

Celebrating Together is a fundraising event to support Trying Together. No refunds will be provided after VIP Reception or Dinner registration is confirmed, or in the event of a no-show. If the event is cancelled, only VIP Reception ticket holders will receive a refund of the fair market value of their ticket ($250 dollars).

News

January 2, 2026

Tickets Available for MOYC Celebration

This spring, Trying Together will host Celebrating Together, a special evening for early childhood educators and all who support them. Scheduled for Thursday, April 30 at Rivers Casino, this celebration will include a new VIP Reception followed by the 30th Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner. Get your tickets now to be part of this evening of celebration and fun!

Learn More

Trying Together recognizes April as Month of the Young Child as a way to uplift the incredible work of early childhood educators. In 2025, nearly 800 educators and supports came together at the Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner.

This year, Trying Together is excited to unveil Celebrating Together – a reimagined event that will include a new VIP reception to present the inaugural Governor Josh Shapiro Keystone Award for Early Childhood Advocacy, followed by the 30th Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner. The VIP reception will include heavy hors d’oeuvres, signature cocktails/mocktails, and networking opportunities. The dinner will include food stations, music, register-to-win opportunities, photo booths, and other activities.

See full details and purchase tickets.

For more information, contact special events manager Gabby Lisella at gabby@tryingtogether.org or 412-204-6415, or by visiting the event’s website.

Businesses, organizations, and individuals can purchase full-color advertisements to appear in the 2026 Celebrating Together program book. It is also possible to honor an early childhood educator by adding their name to the Recognition List in the program book. To sponsor the VIP reception or dinner, view Trying Together’s MOYC Sponsor Sheet. For more information, contact assistant director of development Maria Pisano at maria@tryingtogether.org or 412.421.3734.

News

December 17, 2025

Registration Open for Trying Together’s Spring CDA Cohort

Trying Together has begun enrolling students in spring Child Development Associate (CDA) cohorts that begin in early January.

Learn More

Participants have the option to participate in one of two cohorts. The first cohort is hybrid and will run from Thursday, January 8 through Thursday, June 18. It meets virtually over Zoom Thursday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and one Saturday per month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Trying Together’s office in Squirrel Hill (5604 Solway Street, Pittsburgh).

The second cohort will run from Saturday, January 10 through Saturday, June 20 and will meet in person every other Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Trying Together’s office.

To enroll, participants must complete two applications:

Those with questions about the program should reach out to Patty McGee at patricia@tryingtogether.org.

About the CDA Credential

A CDA credential is the most widely recognized credential in the early childhood field and is a key stepping stone on the path to career advancement. The CDA Credential is based on a core set of competency standards that guide early learning professionals in their work to build on their professional experience and expertise.

As a nationally recognized credential, a CDA Credential enables early learning professionals to work in Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms in addition to early learning programs across the United States. Several topics are studied in a CDA program, including, but not limited to:

A healthy and safe learning environment
Physical, cognitive, language, and creative development
Social and emotional development
Positive guidance
Creating positive relationships with families
Program and classroom management
Observation and assessments
Professionalism in early childhood education

By earning a CDA Credential, early learning professionals strengthen their professional skill sets, gain opportunities to advance their careers, increase their confidence in the classroom, and reinforce their commitment to support young children and families.