Connecticut – The Council Interviews "The Father of the CDA"
Richard Cohen, Director of Communications, Partnerships and New Initiatives, traveled to the Yale University television studios in Connecticut to interview Dr. Edward Zigler, the creator of Head Start and "the Father of the CDA" for an upcoming Council documentary. Dr. Zigler was gracious enough to be videotaped discussing how and why he invented the CDA as well as the early days of the credential and the role of the Council. He also spoke about the unique place a competency-based credential holds in the early childhood field and about his support of teacher reflection, which will be a key component of CDA 2.0.
Dr. Zigler was amazed that the Council was approaching 300,000 CDAs, stating that his hope, back in 1971, was that someday 200,000 CDAs would be credentialed. Dr. Zigler expressed gratitude to the Council staff for all we've done to keep his vision alive these many decades. The Council will edit and release the video online later this year, as part of our growing series of CDA videos.
Illinois – Council Presents at Leadership Connections Conference
Deborah Jordan, Director of the National CDA Program, participated as a presenter at the Leadership Connections Conference sponsored by McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership in Wheeling, Illinois. Deborah facilitated a skill-building session and engaged the participants in a discussion about utilizing the CDA Credential as a framework for early care and education career development. The participants from across the country held various leadership positions within their communities, including child care administrators, resource and referral specialists, college instructors and CDA trainers.
Japan – Council Provides CDA Training to Military Personnel
Vilma Williams and Vivienne Oxford, Training Specialists, conducted training in the Sasebo Naval Base in Japan in May. This training was hosted by the US Navy and participants from other military branches were also invited. They trained 20 new Military School Age Representatives and 20 new CDA Council Representatives to serve Candidates in the different military branches throughout Asia. This training also offered participants the opportunity to network with the other branches and Navy sites in the region and guided staff in applying for both types of credentials. "Although it was labor intense, it was well worth it to travel such a long distance from home to prepare such a fine group of professionals in the military child and youth services," Williams said. The trainings were well-received by both military staff and officials.