As part of NAEYC’s centennial, Year of Reflections highlights the journeys, insights, and everyday moments that connect early childhood educators, families, and communities. July’s theme—Summer of Stories & Community Connections—centers the relationships and shared experiences that sustain the early childhood field and shape the sense of belonging found within it.  

In this reflection, Jennifer shares how a winding career journey, time away from the classroom, and a deep commitment to community led her back to teaching, where she continues to build trust, nurture growth, and strengthen connections with children and families. 

"When I look back at my career, it feels less like a straight path and more like a winding journey that kept gently guiding me back to where I truly belonged. After graduating from the College of St. Rose in 1995, I stepped into early childhood education with a heart full of hope and a belief that helping young children grow was the most meaningful work I could ever do. Those early years in different centers shaped me — they taught me patience, creativity, and the quiet power of being present for a child. 

Life, as it does, shifted. I stepped away to raise my own child, to navigate the unexpected turns that come with adulthood, and to rediscover who I was outside the classroom. But even when I wasn’t teaching, the work never left me. It stayed in my heart, tugging at me, reminding me that this was where I felt most like myself. 

Returning to the field wasn’t just a career move — it was a homecoming. And for nearly eleven years now, my program has been that home. It’s where I’ve grown into the teacher I was always meant to be. It’s where I’ve learned that these early years are not just about ABCs and 123s. They are about building a solid base — the kind of foundation children will carry with them long after they leave my classroom. 

In Pre-K, we are teaching children how to be kind. How to help a friend. How to use their words, take a breath, and self-regulate when big feelings take over. We are teaching them self-help skills that build confidence and independence. We are showing them how to navigate a world that is brand new to them. These are the skills that matter most before entering kindergarten — the skills that shape who they are becoming. 

And the way children learn these things is through play. Through repetition. Through moments that look simple on the surface but are full of meaning underneath. A block tower becomes a lesson in perseverance. A disagreement becomes a chance to practice empathy. A shared laugh becomes the beginning of trust. 

Over the years, I’ve come to believe that the heart of early childhood education is community. Real community. The kind built on trust, honesty, and the willingness to have conversations that aren’t always easy. The kind where families know that I’m not just teaching their child — I’m standing beside them, cheering for their child, believing in their child, and working with them as a team. 

Every experience I’ve had — every classroom, every family, every child — has shaped the educator I am today. I’ve learned that children flourish when the adults around them trust one another. And I’ve made it my mission to nurture that trust every single day. To be steady. To be compassionate. To be someone families can count on. 

After all these years, I know this for certain: I am exactly where I’m meant to be – not just as a Pre-K teacher, but as someone who helps build a community where children feel safe, families feel supported, and everyone knows they belong." 

–Jennifer Powers, Vermont

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