Hundreds Respond to PennAEYC’s Birthday Card Drive
As NAEYC marks its 100th year, the centennial has become more than a milestone—it has become a shared expression of gratitude, memory, and connection across the early childhood education field. Affiliates, educators, higher education partners, and families are finding meaningful ways to celebrate the profession and the people who make early learning possible every day.
Centennial celebrations have taken many forms. Community gatherings, recognition events, student engagement activities, and program celebrations have all highlighted the joy and legacy of early childhood education. Together, these efforts reflect a shared truth: The strength of our field has always come from the people who show up for children and for one another.
A Birthday Card for NAEYC
One example comes from the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC), where a simple idea grew into a widely embraced centennial activity. This NAEYC Affiliate created a “doodle-a-note” birthday card activity for outreach tables, conferences, student events, and community gatherings. The prompt was simple: People were invited to share a message, memory, or birthday wish for NAEYC.
Participation was immediate. Early childhood educators, higher education faculty, students, families, and event vendors have all taken part. Some groups have created large, collaborative cards; others have encouraged individual reflections.
“At first I thought it would be just a few people interested,” said Rose Snyder, PennAEYC’s senior director of education and operations. “But it took off like wildfire!”
For some, this activity was their first introduction to NAEYC. It offered a natural entry point into learning about the organization’s role in supporting educators and advancing high-quality early learning. For others, it sparked memories of longstanding involvement in the association and the field.
Chapters and partner organizations have adapted the activity for their own events, mailing some cards to NAEYC and displaying others in community spaces. The initiative has continued to grow. While PennAEYC printed about 750 cards, some groups are now printing their own, Rose said.
Across Pennsylvania, the centennial has also been celebrated at college and community events. Early childhood education students at Carlow University in Pittsburgh and Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood have participated in card-writing activities during gatherings, often paired with cake and other centennial festivities. These moments help future educators see themselves as part of the profession’s continuing legacy.
Continuing the Celebration Together
PennAEYC’s efforts reflect the broader spirit of NAEYC’s centennial year. Participation, reflection, and connection carry lasting meaning, even during small moments of engagement. Communities continue to add their voices, traditions, and ideas, creating a living archive of appreciation for the field’s past, present, and future.
As we honor 100 years of impact, we invite you to be part of the celebration. Join centennial activities in your local community, connect with colleagues and peers at NAEYC’s Annual Conference December 5–8 in Washington, DC, and help shape the story of early childhood education by sharing through our Year of Reflections initiative. Together, these activities will help preserve the history of our field, celebrate the people who shaped it, and inspire those who will carry it forward.
Photographs: First and third photos, courtesy of PennAEYC; second photo © NAEYC. Copyright © 2026 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See permissions and reprints online at NAEYC.org/resources/permissions.