Philadelphia, PA (April 3, 2025) – On April 25, 2025, at the First Up Annual Conference, Dr. Denisha Jones, renowned early childhood education expert, will deliver a keynote speech on the topic of how educators can embrace the power of play in their classrooms. Dr. Jones will share her compelling research demonstrating that play is essential for children’s learning and development. She will highlight the challenges of implementing play-based learning due to systemic barriers and differences between private and public sectors, emphasize the need for educational leaders to understand child development, and offer research collaboration opportunities to support play-centered education.
Dr. Jones comes to this philosophy naturally as her mother was a kindergarten teacher. In recalling her childhood, Dr. Jones comments “It’s kind of funny; this is a whole new theory to some people, not to me. This is what my entire life was and the way my mother raised me.” She is passionate about focusing on children’s individual needs and cautions educators about theories and guidelines about who needs what. She continued, “Every child needs something different—not because something is wrong with them but because they are individuals.”
The highly anticipated conference will be held April 25-26, 2025, at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue. The First Up conference is a two-day event and offers a transformative experience designed to elevate teaching strategies, foster professional growth, and strengthen the early childhood education community. Attendees will participate in engaging workshops, hear an insightful keynote speech on each day, connect with peers and receive professional development credits. Sessions throughout the conference will be tailored to meet the specific needs of educators working with preschoolers.
Dr. Jones recognizes the value of meeting teachers at conferences and sharing her work with them. She said, “We need to change the conversation—the decision makers at these schools need to understand that unstructured play IS learning!” She encourages educators to … “Start somewhere. Just do some play activities, reflect on it, read an article about play, share information with a colleague. Commit to doing something—it’s really going to help.”
On Saturday, April 26, 2025, day two of the conference, keynote speaker Josh Robinson will share his unique approach to inclusive learning and creative engagement. A seasoned percussionist and teaching artist, he will explain how music and hands-on experiences can break barriers in education.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to explore essential topics through featured presentations. Dr. Veirdre Jackson will address the importance of a sense of belonging, while Dr. Essence Allen Presley will lead a session on early intervention strategies. Educators will leave with practical tools and fresh perspectives to bring back to their classrooms and organizations.
Participants can earn professional development credits. Each day of attendance will provide seven PQAS credits, allowing attendees to accumulate up to 14 credits over the course of the conference. Additionally, ACT 48 credit can be processed for those who require it. They will also find specialized programming aimed at strengthening leadership within the field. To ensure accessibility, select workshops will be offered in Spanish. The conference runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and doors open at 7 a.m. for registration. Guests can attend either day or both days. Register here: https://www.firstup.org/fupac/.
The conference venue, the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue, is located at 4200 City Avenue in Philadelphia. For those driving to the venue, self-parking is available for $8 per day, with valet parking offered at $15 per day. Public transportation is also a convenient option, with the Overbrook Train Station just half a mile away and SEPTA Bus 34 stopping nearby. To register and learn more about the First Up Conference, visit https://www.firstup.org/fupac/