First Up Celebrity Reading

In Honor of National Book Month, preschoolers at Chinatown Learning Center Engage in Creative Dramatics during the First Up Celebrity Reading Featuring Halloween Stories and the popular “Caps for Sale” With CBS News Philadelphia Anchor Jim Donovan and The Champion of Early Childhood, First Up’s, Tyrone Scott

SMG Clubhouse – Quakertown – Celebrates One Year Anniversary

Philadelphia, PA (October 20, 2025) — On October 2, 2025, SMG Clubhouse in Quakertown, PA marked a major milestone by celebrating its one year anniversary and earning Keystone STAR 4, the highest quality rating awarded to child care programs in Pennsylvania. Owner Syieda Logan said, “I am honored to celebrate this achievement alongside representatives from Senator Coleman’s and Congressman Fitzpatrick’s offices. It made our celebration even more special and this achievement reflects our dedication to providing top-quality services and support to our community.”

SMG Clubhouse – Horsham Achieved Keystone STAR 4, the Highest Rating Level for Early Education in Pennsylvania, Recognized by PA Leaders in September with Support from First Up, Champions of Early Childhood

Philadelphia, PA (September 26, 2025) – SMG Clubhouse in Horsham, PA was recognized by Representative Melissa Cerrato and Senator Maria Collett for the early childhood center’s excellent status in the Commonwealth of PA. They have achieved the highest rating level for early education in PA which is entitled Keystone STAR 4. Cerrato and Collett presented the owner and director certificates of achievement. They received excellent support from Jackie Groetsch, the ECE Advocate from First Up, Champions of Early Childhood based in Philadelphia.

First Up, the Prime Resource for Early Childhood Education in the Philadelphia Region, is Presented the Champion Award from KenCrest

Philadelphia, PA (September 19, 2025) – On September 10, Kencrest held its Community Champions event to give thanks to individuals, organizations and community partners who go above and beyond to support Kencrest’s vital work. Chip Riddleberger, Director of Government Relations and Advocacy for Kencrest, nominated First Up for a Champion Award. A partner with Kencrest for three years, First Up is an early learning champion in the Philadelphia area with a goal that ensures every child from birth to age eight has access to the highest quality care and education. He said, “First Up identifies opportunities to leverage and ultimately increase quality education programs in the early learning advocacy space for birth to age eight. They are staunch supporters of more competitive teacher pay and educating both legislators and the business community on viewing childcare challenges through the business lens.

Family Childcare Providers from Across Pennsylvania Head to Harrisburg on June 9 for Family Child Care Awareness Day

Philadelphia, PA. – May 27, 2025 – On June 9, 2025, family childcare educators, along with parents and families who rely upon family childcare, from across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania—including more than 75% of the attendees from Philadelphia—are converging on Harrisburg for Family Childcare Awareness Day, an initiative spearheaded by First Up, Champions for Early Education, in partnership with Start Strong PA. This day of advocacy is part of a larger grassroots movement known as Capitol Days where early childhood educators and the families they serve meet directly with legislators each day that the Pennsylvania General Assembly is in session to demand better funding and policies for childcare. There will be close to 100 providers and families meeting with legislators including Representative Darisha Parker and more pending meeting time confirmation. The group from Philadelphia will meet in two Greater Philadelphia locations and caravan to Harrisburg. This action is part of First Up’s ongoing mission to elevate the early childhood workforce and ensure that all children—regardless of zip code—have access to high-quality early learning opportunities.

Week of the Young Child

Week of the Young Child is a national celebration of early learning, young children, their teachers, families and communities. This year it takes place April 5 through April 12.

Media Opportunity — Carol Austin, Executive Director of First Up, recognizes 60 local Chambers of Commerce for recognizing importance of quality childcare and how it impacts on businesses. First Up is the organization that has supported early childhood education professionals, organizations, and families over 50 years and is the Greater Philadelphia region’s most trusted partner and advocate for high-quality early childhood education. The name First Up asserts that those first relationships that children develop are crucial in creating a path forward to success.

Dr. Denisha Jones to discuss the importance of play in learning for preschool-age children as a First Up Annual Conference keynote speaker

Philadelphia, PA (April 3, 2025) – On April 25, 2025, at the First Up Annual Conference, Dr. Denisha Jones, renowned early childhood education expert, will deliver a keynote speech on the topic of how educators can embrace the power of play in their classrooms.  Dr. Jones will share her compelling research demonstrating that play is essential for children’s learning and development.  She will highlight the challenges of implementing play-based learning due to systemic barriers and differences between private and public sectors, emphasize the need for educational leaders to understand child development, and offer research collaboration opportunities to support play-centered education.

Josh Robinson to Drum the Value of Music at the First Up Annual Conference as a Keynote Speaker

Philadelphia, PA (March 20, 2025) – On April 26, 2025, at the First Up Annual Conference, Josh Robinson, professional percussionist, teaching artist and drum facilitator, will deliver a keynote speech on the topic of how educators can integrate music, particularly drumming, into their classrooms. At the highly anticipated conference being held April 25-26 at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue, Robinson will engage the audience in an interactive drumming session and create rhythmic mantras to reinforce key messages; samples of these from past lessons include: “Hard work, confidence, gratitude, joy”; “Grit, connection, authenticity”.  These activities are designed to inspire participants while demonstrating a technique that can be replicated in the classroom.

First Up Conference Empowers Early Childhood Educators to Go Beyond the Classroom with Expert Insights and Hands-On Learning

Philadelphia, PA (March 17, 2025) – On April 25 and 26, 2025, early childhood educators, administrators, and industry professionals will come together for the highly anticipated First Up Conference “Beyond the Classroom: Inspiring Lifelong Learning and Development” at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue. This two-day event offers a transformative experience designed to elevate teaching strategies, foster professional growth, and strengthen the early childhood education (ECE) community. The Conference is designed to help early educators to reflect, recharge and reimagine their role both in and beyond the classroom by participating in engaging workshops, listening to an insightful keynote speech on each day, and connecting with their peers. They will also find specialized programming aimed at strengthening leadership within the field. To ensure accessibility, select workshops will be offered in Spanish. The conference runs from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and doors open at 7 a.m. for registration. Guests can attend either day or both days. Registration can be found at https://www.firstup.org/fupac/.

Addressing the Challenges of Childcare and How That Impacts Businesses

There are severe challenges in the childcare industry that make a major impact on workforce and the workplace. During this panel advocacy program, legislators (Majority Leader Matt Bradford, Rep. Martina White and Rep Jared Solomon), business and childcare leaders; such as, Rosaida Iraola and Joaie Jones from KenCrest discuss problems facing businesses and families and look for solutions together. The panel conversation reflects the region and includes Laura Manion from the Chester County Chamber for Business and Industry.