Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning hosted its fourth annual Early Childhood Education Leaders Summit on March 27 at the Hershey Lodge, bringing together nearly 500 professionals from organizations serving young children and families across the country.
The event, themed “One Team, One Dream,” aimed to strengthen collaboration among educators and provide practical strategies to improve early childhood education. The summit has grown over four years into a key gathering point for sharing ideas and addressing challenges in the field.
Erica Dhawan, a globally recognized expert on teamwork and innovation, delivered the keynote address. She is known as one of the world’s Top 50 management thinkers by Thinkers50 and is a bestselling author whose work appears in leading business publications. “Our yearly ECE Leaders Summit brings together nationwide experts in early childhood education to learn from one another,” said Peter G. Gurt, president of Milton Hershey School and Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning. “It reflects our commitment to collaboration and serves as a mutual learning opportunity for CHS employees and ECE professionals who share a passion for helping children and families thrive in our local communities.”
The summit included breakout sessions led by national thought leaders, networking opportunities, and discussions based on surveys with experts. Dr. Rebekah Benedum, senior director of programming at CHS, said: “This year’s keynote and breakout sessions were intentionally designed to give early childhood professionals practical tools they can immediately bring back to their classrooms and organizations. From trauma-informed care to strengthening family engagement, each session reinforces how collaboration and shared learning help us better serve children and families.”
CHS continues expanding its network of centers across Pennsylvania; it currently serves 450 children daily at three locations in Dauphin County with plans to open new centers this summer in Lancaster County followed by Elizabethtown and Lancaster City next year.
PR Newswire operates press release distribution services supporting events like these in more than 170 countries using over 40 languages according to the official website (https://www.prnewswire.com/). Its network includes over 500,000 media outlets globally while offering content tools enhanced by artificial intelligence as well as social sharing features according to the official website (https://www.prnewswire.com/). PR Newswire also provides expert editorial support around-the-clock with experienced editors available worldwide according to the official website (https://www.prnewswire.com/).
Looking ahead, Catherine Hershey Schools will continue hiring educators as it expands its reach throughout Pennsylvania.
