Pathway to Equity Scholarship to Attend the 2025 Early Educators Leadership Conference


SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS


The Council for Professional Recognition is pleased to offer scholarships for individuals to attend this year’s Early Educators Leadership Conference (EELC).



ABOUT THE CONFERENCE


Dates: October 8-11, 2025

Location: Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld®


This year's conference theme is "Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence: Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders" and will focus on advancing equity in early learning. We aim to delve deeply into building systems and career pathways that support young children, families, and the educators who serve them. The Early Educators Leadership Conference presents a unique opportunity to engage with leading experts, discuss barriers, and advocate for support and recognition. Attendees will benefit from a variety of concurrent workshops, general sessions, and networking opportunities led by esteemed early childhood education professionals.



WHO SHOULD APPLY


This scholarship is open to Early childhood professionals who have dedicated their work to focus on JEDIB (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging). This can be demonstrated through their work of serving and supporting marginalized and underserved communities as well as diverse cultures, ethnicities, genders and abilities. This award will recognize those who exemplify the Council for Professional Recognition’s mission and vision of providing high standards of quality education to children aged from birth to 5 years old.



APPLICATION DEADLINE


The scholarship application period opens on Wednesday, March 12th, and ends Friday, April 18th. To apply, complete the application below and upload a Letter of Recommendation.

WORK/PROFESSIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION

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PERSONAL/ALTERNATIVE CONTACT INFORMATION

Note: The Council may contact applicants over summer break.

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SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

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What is the regional demographic of your school/center?*
Please indicate how you learned about the scholarship program.*

ESSAY QUESTIONS


Guidelines on AI Use for Scholarship Question Responses


We recognize that artificial intelligence (AI) tools can be valuable for refining grammar and enhancing clarity. However, for the purposes of this conference scholarship application, we expect each personal essay to be an authentic reflection of the applicant’s own thoughts, experiences, and perspectives. Applicants may use AI tools to assist with grammar and minor language improvements, but the core content—ideas, personal insights, and storytelling—must be their own. Essays that rely heavily on AI-generated content, lack originality, or do not convey a personal voice will be disqualified. We encourage each applicant to embrace their unique voices and share their genuine experiences. If you have any questions about these guidelines, please reach out for clarification.

Briefly describe your passion for early childhood education and your career aspirations in the field. Highlight any experiences, personal values, and how you are presenting JEDIB as a leader in your community. (120 words or less)

Discuss why diversity, equity and inclusion are crucial in early childhood education. Describe how JEDIB principles have shaped your approach to teaching, curriculum development, or community engagement. (120 words or less)

Explain how you have incorporated the CDA credential in your ECE work. Share the impact of this credential on the quality of care and education provided and its significance in your community. (120 words or less)

Briefly outline what you hope to gain from attending the Early Educators Leadership Conference (EELC). Describe how participating in this event aligns with your professional development goals and aspirations in the field of early childhood education. Share how this scholarship will ease the financial burden of attending the conference. (120 words or less)

LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION

Please provide one signed letter on letterhead from either:


  • Supervisor
  • Program owner
  • Community member/leader who is familiar with your work
  • Licensing agent who is familiar with your work

Preferred format: .pdf

Drag and drop files here or

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & SIGNATURE

Expectations and Permissions


The EELC Scholarship recipients will be asked to provide a short biography and a picture that will be posted on the Council’s website. Scholarship recipients agree to attend the CDA awards luncheon and keynote addresses, meet with key leaders of the Council and attend events at the conference. Your signature on this application grants the Council permission to distribute your name and photograph worldwide through its website and other electronic media. You acknowledge that you will receive no payment, fees, remuneration or royalties for this promotion or other use of your image. You must be 18 years old or older to be eligible for this scholarship.


Questions


Please contact cdaevents@cdacouncil.org


Disclaimer


The Council for Professional Recognition (the Council) will independently review and approve all scholarship applications for awarding to ensure that such applications are consistent with the mission of the Council. Scholarships are awarded for one-time use for the annual conference. Ineligible for this award: former presenters, former scholarship recipients, employees of the Council and individuals related to any employee of the Council.


REMINDER: The deadline for submissions is Friday, April 18, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST. All documents are required for your submission to be considered. Our team will carefully review all applications, and we aim to notify applicants of our decisions by mid-June. Thank you for your interest in our conference, and for applying.

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