Supporting their learning and emotional development is a responsibility I hold with great respect.
My beginning in US early childhood education was shaped by mentorship, generosity, and shared knowledge. Because of the mentors who welcomed me and guided me, I strive to create the same sense of belonging, patience, and encouragement for the children and families I serve.
— Yuliia Kaliuzhna, lead teacher at a child care center in San Francisco, California
Joyfully Engage with Children and Colleagues
I began my career in early childhood education believing I was choosing a profession. Looking back, I realize I was finding my purpose.
Over the past two decades, my journey has taken me from classrooms to early childhood principalships, from Head Start programs to state government, from university classrooms to community-led initiatives focused on improving outcomes for children and families. Along the way, I have had the privilege of helping shape programs, influence policy, support educators, and advocate for systems that better serve young children. Yet when people ask what has brought me the greatest joy, my answer is always the same: People.
The joy has been in watching a child who struggled find their voice. It has been in seeing an educator discover confidence in their own leadership. It has been in sitting with families who simply wanted someone to believe in their child as much as they did. It has been in witnessing entire communities come together around a shared commitment to give children a better start than they had yesterday.
The wisdom I carry with me was passed down by people whose names may never appear in a research study, policy report, or history book. It came from educators opening their classrooms before sunrise, directors stretching impossible budgets, grandparents raising grandchildren, and families doing everything they could to create opportunities for their children. They taught me that early childhood education is not simply a profession; it is an act of hope. Every day, we choose to believe in a future we cannot yet see.
As I reflect on this profession and NAEYC ' s centennial celebration, I find myself thinking about the thousands of children, families, educators, and colleagues who have crossed my path. While I cannot remember every meeting, presentation, initiative, or policy discussion, I remember faces. I remember stories. I remember moments.
I remember the child excited to show me they had finally learned to write their name. I remember educators who stayed long after their shifts ended because a child needed them. I remember families who trusted us with what mattered most to them. Those moments never leave you.
Fall 2026 Educating Young Children 25