Educational First Steps

At Educational First Steps, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive — and that starts long before kindergarten.

Everything we do is built around three core pillars:

Center Quality
Strengthening early learning centers so children have access to high-quality environments where they can thrive.

Educator Quality
Supporting and empowering educators through coaching, training, and professional development.

School Readiness
Preparing children for lifelong success by building the skills, confidence, and curiosity needed for school readiness.

When we strengthen centers, support educators, and prepare children for lifelong learning, entire communities grow stronger.

Last week, we had the opportunity to welcome another group of educators to our 4-day Preservice Training — and we’re continually inspired by the passion and commitment these educators bring to the early childhood field.

Designed for both new educators and experienced professionals seeking a refresher, our Preservice Training provides required hours while covering key topics aligned with minimum standards through guided instruction and interactive learning experiences.

At Educational First Steps, we know that investing in educators strengthens classrooms, supports children, and creates lasting impact across our communities.

Thank you to every participant who spent the week learning, growing, and investing in the future of early childhood education!

We’re so excited to welcome all of the incredible vendors joining us for this year’s Educational First Steps Educators Conference!

Our vendor hall will be filled with amazing organizations, resources, products, and services dedicated to supporting educators, children, and families. We are grateful for each vendor who is helping make this conference such a meaningful experience for attendees.

Be sure to stop by, connect, and support these wonderful organizations throughout the conference!

We want to give a huge shoutout and heartfelt thank you to all of the sponsors supporting this year’s Educational First Steps Educators Conference!

Thank you , , , , Capable Cleaning, Pathway Consultations, , Celebrate SEL , Mother Daughter Duo Crafts, and Mend & Abide for your generosity and partnership. Your support helps make this conference possible and allows us to continue investing in educators and early childhood learning throughout our communities.

We are so grateful to have each of you as part of this event!

We are thrilled to welcome Mend & Abide as the Presenting Sponsor of the 2026 Educational First Steps Educators Conference!

Led by our keynote speaker, Tonya Williams Clark, Mend & Abide is dedicated to helping educators and leaders build a culture of rest that fuels sustainable performance, wellness, and impact. Their mission reminds us that caring for ourselves is essential to caring for others — especially in the important work of early childhood education.

We are so grateful for their partnership and excited for the inspiration and encouragement they will bring to this year’s conference!

We’re excited to welcome Ronald Tobin-Rivera to the 2026 Educational First Steps Educators Conference!

Ronald is a veteran educator with 10 years of experience in K–12 education and a Master’s in the Science of Education from Johns Hopkins University. He is passionate about child literacy and committed to helping build stronger, more confident readers.

As a member of the Educational First Steps team, Ronald serves as a Trainer and Assessor specializing in ASQ assessments, partnering with early childhood providers to share research-based strategies, strengthen instructional practice, and support high-quality learning environments.
At the conference, Ronald will share his expertise in literacy development and evidence-based instructional strategies that support early learning success.

We look forward to his insight and experience in advancing early childhood education!

We are incredibly honored and grateful to share that Educational First Steps was awarded a generous $100,000 gift from the Alumnae Clubs of Kappa Kappa Gamma and Pi Beta Phi during this year’s Design Inspirations benefit in Fort Worth.

This extraordinary support will help us continue expanding access to high-quality early childhood education and strengthening the futures of young children, families, and educators across our communities.

To everyone involved in making this event possible — thank you for believing in our mission and investing in the power of early learning. We are deeply appreciative of your partnership and generosity.


Kappa Kappa Gamma - Fort Worth

We’re excited to welcome Andre Williams to the 2026 Educational First Steps Educators Conference!

Andre is the Center Director at 2nd Step Daycare and Learning Center, where he has served since its founding. He is dedicated to creating a supportive environment where children, families, and staff are encouraged to thrive.

At the conference, Andre will share his perspective on leadership in early childhood education and the power of fostering belief, perseverance, and excellence in learning environments.

We look forward to his insight and passion for early learning!

We’re excited to welcome Dr. LeBrandan Jenkins as the moderator for the 2026 Educational First Steps Educators Conference!

Dr. Jenkins is an experienced educational leader with a strong background in instructional leadership and school transformation. He currently serves as our Manager for Texas School Ready, where he supports early childhood programs in strengthening instructional practices and preparing young learners for academic success.

As a leader committed to equity and student achievement, Dr. Jenkins brings deep expertise in data-driven instruction, staff development, and building systems that support meaningful academic growth.

We look forward to his leadership in guiding this important conversation at the conference!

We’re excited to welcome Aaron Fields to the 2026 Educational First Steps Educators Conference!

Aaron is an educator, fatherhood advocate, and community health worker dedicated to strengthening families and supporting student success. He currently works with Parkland Healthy Start and National Healthy Start, where he focuses on maternal health, family engagement, and community wellness.

At the conference, Aaron will share his perspective on building strong connections between schools, families, and communities, and the important role father engagement plays in supporting positive outcomes for children.

We look forward to his insight and leadership in this important conversation!