Parents as Teachers hosts 16th Annual International Conference at the Arizona Grand Resort & Spa Oct. 8 -11

Homegrown actor keynotes Closing Session; AZ legislator receives award; and 1,200 educators will network and participate in Native heritage celebrations

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Parents as Teachers

Oct 02, 2018, 13:30 ET

PHOENIX, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- An award-winning actor, an Arizona state senator, and a nationally-recognized CEO are among the speakers and awardees slated to join more than 1,200 early childhood development professionals at YOUnited, the 2018 Parents as Teachers (PAT) International Conference, Oct. 8 – 11, at the Arizona Grand Resort and Spa.

"Our conferences bring together non-profit, private and public leaders to collaborate, learn and build relationships, whilst exploring effective ways to elevate our field by addressing the real challenges we face," said Constance Gully, PAT president and chief executive officer.

The conference theme is YOUnited. Gully said it signifies PAT's commitment to bringing together representatives from leading home visiting programs to focus on issues of family engagement and early childhood parenting education. "With YOUnited as our theme, we aim to cement our promise to advance opportunities in early childhood education and health, and to expand the impact of home visiting on families we serve in our respective communities," Gully said.

Parents as Teachers (PAT) is a non-profit, internationally-recognized leader in the early childhood development home visiting field, headquartered in St. Louis, MO. Its annual conferences continue to garner broad appeal from leading educators, policy-makers, child advocacy groups, and world-class experts in the fields of early learning, parenting education and professional development. Each year attendees travel from across the United States, and as far away as China, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Cameroon to attend the international symposium.

This year's conference will honor Arizona State Sen. Kate Brophy-McGee (R-District 28), who will receive PAT's coveted Jack Tweedie Human Services and Early Learning Award. The Closing Session keynote speaker is Actor Tatanka Means of Chinle, AZ. Means rose to stardom performing with Pierce Brosnan in AMC's western epic The Son. He will deliver his comedic brand of motivational speaking and share unique experiences as a role model to local Native American youth and families; helping them stay alcohol and drug-free.

Opening the conference is author Paul Schmitz, senior advisor at The Collective Impact Forum and CEO of Leading Inside Out. He will speak on Everyone Leads: Building Leadership from the Community Up. (To read Schmitz's and Means' full profiles and see a complete roster of speakers, visit www.parentsasteachers.org and click on the conference tab).

PAT's conference will feature an eclectic blend of parenting workshops, mini-plenaries, exhibits, networking opportunities, and celebrations honoring Native American heritage. It will also feature panel discussions on the latest research-based practices on childhood education, diversity, equity and inclusion, and helping families facing addiction.

In addition to the panels and workshops, Zumba and Yoga classes have been added, punctuated by a Networking Night Out Event featuring a rodeo at the Corona Ranch. Returning are the ever-popular awards ceremonies featuring the Losos Awards for Excellence and Innovation, and the Parent Educator of the Year awards.

Acknowledgment will be given to the newest Parents as Teachers Blue Ribbon Affiliates, which recognizes PAT partner organizations that deliver the highest quality of services to children and families.

For more information about the 2018 Parents as Teachers International Conference, go to www.parentsasteachers.org.

About Parents as Teachers

Parents as Teachers (PAT) builds strong communities, thriving families and children that are healthy, safe and ready to learn by matching parents and caregivers with trained professionals who make regular personal home visits during a child's earliest years in life, from pregnancy through kindergarten. The internationally-recognized evidence-based home visiting model is back by 35 years of research-proven outcomes for children and families. PAT currently serves nearly 200,000 families in all 50 U.S. states, 115 Tribal organizations, six other countries, and one U.S. territory. Parents As Teachers National Center, Inc., is a non-profit organization headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Contact: Eric L. Clark,
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SOURCE Parents as Teachers