Oklahoma Association

10/15/2026

Your Children Deserve Great Leaders
🌱 Every decision a leader makes impacts children.
From culture and staffing to program quality and family engagement, leadership matters.
Join us at the OKAEYC Leadership Symposium to strengthen the skills that help children, families, and educators thrive.

Leadership isn't defined by a title—it's demonstrated through the impact we make every day. Whether you're a teacher, assistant teacher, family child care provider, coach, administrator, higher education faculty member, or advocate, your leadership shapes the lives of young children.

10/14/2026

Your Children Deserve Great Leaders
🌱 Every decision a leader makes impacts children.
From culture and staffing to program quality and family engagement, leadership matters.
Join us at the OKAEYC Leadership Symposium to strengthen the skills that help children, families, and educators thrive.

10/12/2026

🌿 Honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Today, OKAEYC honors and recognizes the rich cultures, histories, traditions, and contributions of Indigenous peoples.

As early childhood professionals, we have an opportunity to help children grow with curiosity, respect, and appreciation for the diverse cultures and communities that surround them.

On this Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we encourage our early childhood community to listen, learn, and create spaces where every child and family feels seen, respected, and valued.

🤎 We honor the Indigenous peoples and communities who have shaped—and continue to shape—Oklahoma and our nation.

10/11/2026

💙 Supporting Oklahoma’s Foster Families! 💙

Last Saturday, OKAEYC was proud to be part of the OKC WellSpring Foster Event!

Our board members Amanda Greenfield and Dr. Marla Pankratz represented OKAEYC, connecting with the community and helping share our mission to support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.

We’re grateful for opportunities to connect with organizations and families who are making a difference in the lives of children across Oklahoma. Every connection helps strengthen the network of support our children and families deserve! 💙

10/10/2026

Check out our President, Dr. Stephanie Hinton on the Child Care Director's Chair podcast episode: Stop Leading Alone. Hear about our Leadership Symposium in the episode!!

Early childhood leadership can feel lonely, especially when you are carrying the needs of children, families, staff, and an entire program. But strong leaders are not meant to grow in isolation.In this episode of The Child Care Director’s Chair, E...

10/09/2026

👕 SYMPOSIUM T-SHIRT PRESALE!

Want a little keepsake from the 2026 OKAEYC Leadership Symposium? Show your support for early childhood leadership with our commemorative symposium T-shirt!

📣 Preorder only! Shirts must be ordered in advance, so don't wait until event day.

🛍️ Order by selecting tshirt ticket at registration
https://www.okaeyc.org/event-details/leadership-symposium-3
💲 Price: $16
📅 Order deadline: Oct. 23

Help us celebrate leadership and the people who make a difference for Oklahoma's youngest learners every day!

10/09/2026

Leadership Is More Than Management
✨ Managing schedules is important. Inspiring people is transformational.
The OKAEYC Leadership Symposium is designed to help leaders move beyond daily operations and develop the skills that create lasting impact.
Join us and grow your influence.
https://www.okaeyc.org/services-1

10/08/2026

🎬 A night of connection, reflection, and a story our community needs to see.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our screening of *Make a Circle* at Special Care, Inc. It was a powerful evening of coming together, listening, and seeing the realities that families and early childhood professionals experience every day.

📸 Here are a few moments from the screening!

Missed it? You can still watch *Make a Circle* on PBS — and we hope you will.

Then share it with EVERYONE you know. ❤️

Share it with:
👨‍👩‍👧 Families and parents
🏫 Educators and early childhood professionals
🏛️ Your legislators and policymakers
🤝 Community leaders and organizations
💬 Friends, neighbors, and anyone who cares about children

This film helps our community see what we experience — the challenges families face, the importance of early childhood programs, and why investing in children and the people who care for them matters.

Watching is important. Sharing it is how we help more people understand.

🎥 Watch *Make a Circle* on PBS.
https://www.pbs.org/video/make-a-circle-kwjbe6/
📲 Share it. Tag someone. Start a conversation.

**Let’s make sure this story reaches far beyond the screening room.** 💙

10/07/2026

The Staffing Challenge
👥 Recruiting staff is hard. Retaining great staff is harder.
Learn leadership strategies that help teams stay engaged, connected, and committed at the OKAEYC Leadership Symposium.
The strongest programs are built by leaders who invest in people.
https://www.okaeyc.org/services-1

Leadership isn't defined by a title—it's demonstrated through the impact we make every day. Whether you're a teacher, assistant teacher, family child care provider, coach, administrator, higher education faculty member, or advocate, your leadership shapes the lives of young children.

10/05/2026