PENDLETON, OR. — Nearly 450 early childhood education providers, family advocates, and community partners gathered at the Pendleton Convention Center on Friday, Oct. 9, for the annual Early Childhood Education and Behavioral Health Fall Summit. Hosted by the Blue Mountain Early Learning Hub in partnership with InterMountain Education Service District and Umatilla-Morrow Head Start, the day carried one clear message: every role matters, and every interaction counts.

Working with young children and families is deeply rewarding, but also demanding. Change, competing priorities, complex family needs, staffing shortages, and stress are all part of the job. The summit’s goal was not to avoid those challenges, but to help participants move through them with confidence.

Keynote speaker and leadership expert Juan Bendaña, a best-selling author who has coached Olympians, Grammy Award-winning artists, and Fortune 100 executives, opened the day with The Confidence Cycle: The Secret to Everyday Engagement & Motivation. Asked what he hoped participants would take away from the day, he said, “I think the understanding that there is a better version of themselves on the other side of a deeper sense of belief and a deeper sense of courage.” 

Bendaña stayed with participants throughout the day, guiding a progression of working sessions that moved from mindset to action. Session focuses included:

Rewire Your Inner Story focused on turning self-doubt into self-belief. 

Progress Over Perfect helped participants build confidence through a personal growth plan. 

Courage in Action turned that confidence into everyday momentum. 

The day closed with a session on creating a personal Confidence Action Plan, giving each attendee a concrete next step to carry back to classrooms, centers, offices, and homes. 

“Every role matters” was more than the summit’s theme; it also described the room. People who serve children in different ways shared the same space, the same conversations, and the same goal of showing up for kids with confidence and resilience. Interpretation services and lunch were provided for all participants. The event’s participant survey revealed that 93% of attendees rated the summit 4 or 5 stars, a strong sign that the day’s message resonated with those who serve children  

IMESD Early Learning Initiatives Director Marissa Loiland said, “What makes the Fall Summit so impactful is the collective commitment in the room. With nearly 450 participants and partners representing Umatilla, Union, and Morrow counties, we are able to bring nationally recognized speakers and high-quality learning opportunities directly to our region. Together, we're investing in the people who make a difference in the lives of children and families every day.”  

Watch a highlight video from the day here: 

 

For more information about the IMESD Blue Mountain Early Learning Hub, visit: https://www.bluemountainearlylearninghub.org/Blue Mountain Early Learning Hub