We want to see you at the
63rd Annual AECA Conference
on October 8-10, 2025!
This year's conference will focus on the five areas of AECA's mission--develop, contribute, encourage, improve, and provide--and explore them through the lens of working together as we advocate for best practices with young children and positive opportunities and outcomes for early childhood professionals. We want to unite the field through common goals to provide the highest quality care for children, to support families, and to develop professionals. In other words, we want to put our passion into practice!
The 2025 conference will be held at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel in North Little Rock, AR. Based on your feedback from last year, this year's conference is going to look a little different.
CLICK BELOW TO SEE A PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE:
2025 Conference Schedule.pdf
There will be no pre-conference or Saturday sessions. The conference will open with check-in and registration on Wednesday, October 8. The exhibit hall marketplace will open at 9:30 that morning and the first interest session will begin at 10:30. The last interest session will end on Friday at 2:45 pm. Full conference registration gives you access to the entire conference. Conference t-shirts will be included with registration but only if you register during the early bird or regular registration periods.
Attendees will be able to choose from a variety of interest sessions and tracks. Our awesome exhibit hall will open on Wednesday with all your favorite vendors. Don't forget to pick up some amazing items at this year's silent auction. We are so excited about this year's keynote speakers.
On Thursday, we will welcome Derek Clark
to our conference.
Derek Clark is a motivational speaker, author, and musician who inspires others with his story of resilience. After spending 13 years in the California foster care system, enduring abuse and abandonment, Derek overcame significant challenges, including a misdiagnosis and violent tendencies. He now shares his message of hope, perseverance, and personal growth, helping others recognize their strength and overcome adversity. Through his books, keynotes, and music, Derek encourages people to take responsibility for their lives and never give up, regardless of their past.
Our General Session on Friday will feature Stan Tucker.
Tucker is known to students as the smiling, encouraging “Stan the Man” who they greet with high fives and hugs as he visits schools in metro Atlanta and elsewhere. He is writing his life story, one that involves helping children love reading and writing. It’s a story still being revised as he goes along. Tucker graduated from Kennesaw State in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the Bagwell College of Education. Tucker has long been inspired to be a mentor to children, just as relatives and community members stepped up to mentor him after his father died when he was just 8 years old. He saw teaching as the best way to achieve that goal. But by 2016, he revised his story when he turned an idea to visit schools and give away books into Leap for Literacy.
T-Shirts: If you register during the early bird or regular registration period, your registration will include a T-shirt. Make sure you indicate your t-shirt size when you register. You may pick up your t-shirt when you check in for the conference. For those who register late, onsite or just want an extra shirt, limited quantities will be available for sale at the conference for $15.
Hotel Reservations: The Wyndham Riverfront continues to be a great conference partner for our space and lodging. Rooms will be available in our block for $110 + tax. Use this link to make your reservation.
Session Tracks: This year's conference will feature several interest tracks. We look forward to sharing the details of those tracks soon.
Annual Business Meeting: AECA will hold its annual business meeting on Friday, Oct. 10 during the general session before the morning keynote.
AECA Memberships: If you need to join or renew your membership, you should do that BEFORE registering. (If your membership has expired or is unpaid for the current year, the system will not allow you to register for conference at the member rate.) Remember it is less expensive to join and attend the conference as a member than to register as a non-member. For $39, you will receive a year’s membership in AECA and the Southern Early Childhood Association. Join or renew then come back to this site to register.
Refunds: Refunds will be available for cancellations through August 31, 2025 minus a $25 processing fee. NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 1, 2025. AECA is not responsible for hotel or travel expenses should cancellation be necessary.
Please email conference@arkansasearlychildhood.org if you have any questions.