289: Why Professional Associations Matter: SECA’s Story with Judy Prine

You’re in for a treat with this episode of Child Care Conversations! Kate and Carrie sit down with Judy Prine, President-Elect of SECA, for a warm, insightful chat about the Southern Early Childhood Association. Judy shares SECA’s rich history, the perks of membership (think: newsletters, book reviews, and lively Zoom meetups), and gives the scoop on upcoming conferences—boots and line dancing included! 

If you’re passionate about early childhood education, you’ll find plenty of inspiration, resources, and friendly encouragement to connect with fellow educators and grow together.

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Transcript

Carrie Casey (00:47)
Okay, so today's guest on Child Care Conversations is Judy Prine and she is here to talk to us about CICA. Now, when I first came into the industry, CICA was an association for like five states. And now, how many states does CICA support now?

Judy Prine (01:06)
13.

Carrie Casey (01:07)
13. So that is a good hunk of the United States. So for those of you outside of the US, it is from basically Texas over to the Atlantic Ocean and up. So it's not all the way up to the top of the US, but that's kind of the region. And

It's been around for a good long while. It's one of the longest running professional associations in the United States. so Judy, how did you get involved with CECA? How did you get here?

Judy Prine (01:47)
Well, to partner on your comment of when it founded, the Southern Early Childhood Association was founded in 1948 by a group of women educators, some child care owners, some directors, just a group of women that got together to share their concerns. ⁓ And then the association evolved. We do have ⁓

13 states, but there is an option on our website for other states to join and it is $35 to be a member of the organization and you can live in any state even though it says Southern Early Childhood. You can live anywhere overseas anywhere. So we invite you to visit our website and join if you would like to.

Kate Young (02:38)
Absolutely. We'll make sure that the links to get to the CECA website is in our show notes. So I'm just going add that blurb. So thank you, Judy, for giving us kind of that short little history. how did you get here? What is your background and how did you get to be? And I think Carrie might have forgotten to tell everybody you are the president of CECA.

Judy Prine (02:57)
the president elect. So it all started way back just a few years ago when I was in college. Well, it was a little further than a few, but ⁓ it all started in college when I was enrolled in early child education and family relations at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. And my major professor at that time,

influenced all of us students to please join a professional organization for its camaraderie, for its support, for its educational resources, everything like that. And so we joined and fun fact, the lady that became the president of the organization appointed me to be the secretary as her student. You know, she was our student, I was a student. So that was kind of fun, Joe Carroll.

So fast forward several years later, I've joined, I've lived in several Southern states and have always been a member of CECA. Well, Joe Carroll, who was with me at Louisiana Tech, asked me to join the board, to ask my state to run so that could join the board. And so I joined the board and I was very involved statewide, locally, statewide, nationally.

and being a presenter. And so I served on the board for CECA for six years. served three, it's a three year term when you're elected in your state. Some states do it differently, but then you're reelected. And then someone asked me to run for president and I decided I would do it. I did run against a fellow Mississippian.

So that meant no matter who you voted for, Mississippi wins. So that was lots of fun. So I am president-elect this year. I've been involved in early childhood education for about 42 years, but I'm very young, so you can add that up. But been involved that way, statewide, national-wide, everything. So now presented over 30 years at CECA, so.

It's all about the relationship with you in early childhood education, about relationship with all those other individuals in their states. So that's what makes me so excited. I will take over as president in January at our regional conference.

Kate Young (05:31)
Wonderful. I know Carrie and I, for anybody who's listening, you've heard us talk about professional associations and why that is such a key part of professionalism, whether you're a teacher, administrator, or an owner. And so I love to be able to bring leaders from those associations on to share their philosophies, their ideas, and even kind of just so you get.

For those of you who are watching on YouTube, get a face to go with the association. If you're just listening to the podcast on your podcasting app, you get to at least hear Judy's voice. And maybe this will be your hint to go over and watch the YouTube video so that you can see who Judy is so that when you show up at the conference in January, you'll go, I heard her on their podcast. So with that, go ahead, Carrie.

Carrie Casey (06:22)
So when people are trying to decide which association or associations, we suggest multiple to be a member of, part of it is what does that association offer? What are the things that I get to do as a part of that association or what supports does that association have? And you mentioned one that I don't think I've heard anywhere else about those monthly calls. Can you tell?

Judy Prine (06:48)
Absolutely. The benefits of being a member.

Carrie Casey (06:53)
People who weren't online before we started recording a little bit about those calls.

Judy Prine (06:57)
Yeah, sure. The membership, the benefits of being a member of CECA, remember that each state sets their own membership fees. But if you're a student enrolled in any university or even in a high school in an early childhood field, you can submit your student ID and it's $25 to get you started. Each state has their

different, you know, with their requirements, or to be a member of their state, that fees, excuse me, and part of that fees goes to CECA. But when you're a member of CECA, get a monthly newsletter, you get three newsletters, you get a monthly newsletter, excuse me, and three digital copies of the Dimensions magazine, which comes out in February, July, and in October.

My favorite thing about being a member, one of my favorite things is that you get a monthly email and it's also on our Facebook page. You get a children's book review. And so it's the newest children's book that's out. And so you get to hear what that individual thinks about the book and how you can use it in school. Of course, there's discounts along the way, but as you mentioned before, there is a book that we have and I'm not very good at making it.

Zoom in. I'll just tell you it's called Conversations About Change. And this book came about because we have a monthly, it's called monthly Zoom meeting. It's called Conversations for Change and happens different days of the month. It happens at different times, but we have a schedule. The next one is scheduled October the 14th at 530. And that is

They give you all the time zones so you can get their own time. ⁓

Kate Young (08:52)
for

you Judy when is the one after that?

Judy Prine (08:54)
October, will be November the third, and it will be at 11 o'clock and then December is December 9th at 530. So no matter when this podcast airs, you'll have the opportunity to log into that. And thankfully, Kate is going to post the link to get that. It's just www.seca.seca.

and that will produce an email to Maurena who's our administrative assistant and she'll just simply send you the link. The best part about it is the link is good for all the months. So you just add that to your calendar at the time frame that fits your needs. It does adjust to central, eastern and Pacific to all the time zones. So that makes it amazingly fun.

And it's an open forum for people to share, just like we're sharing here. Open forum. Someone, there's never a topic or an agenda. It just starts a conversation and it goes, we do limit it to an hour because as we know, early childhood educators, something that popped up in your head to talk about and we can be there for all.

Kate Young (10:13)
Absolutely, Karen, I definitely know that. can definitely take those.

Carrie Casey (10:17)
We've

done that a time or two. Definitely.

Judy Prine (10:20)
Yes,

I've had a conversation with you ladies and attended your sessions, so I know how that works.

Carrie Casey (10:25)
Yep.

Kate Young (10:26)
Yeah, we definitely can talk for just a little bit. All right, Carrie, you popped back up. It looks like you've got something else you wanted to ask.

Carrie Casey (10:34)
Because again, ⁓ we've gone to CECA multiple years, Kate and I, as attendees, as speakers. I know that we've got another, the CECA 2026 will be opening enrollment pretty soon if it's not already up. Where is the CECA conference gonna be? When is it gonna be for 2026?

Judy Prine (10:57)
2026 is in Huntsville, Alabama. And the theme is called Sweet Home Alabama. We chose Alabama because that particular affiliate wanted to host it and they wanted to plan it. They're getting their feet back on the ground again. So that's great. It will be January the 22nd, 23rd and 24th in Huntsville at the

Vaughan convention center. It's pretty neat. There's a hotel attached right there beside it, the embassy suites. So it's walking inside. So if it rains or if it's cool, maybe it might even be cooler than it is now ⁓ in January. So we can all stay inside. There are two hotels across the street. So it's just a jet across the street to the Vaughan center.

Kate Young (11:53)
Love that, love that. So if you were gonna be talking to somebody who maybe isn't currently a member, maybe they've even not been to an in-person event in the last few years, because they got kind of like, they just lacked the convenience of Zoom. What would you tell somebody who's thinking about coming to this conference? Why should they come? What might be something that might be interesting to them that you know is a secret that maybe others won't know like?

Maybe they'll know by the time this comes out. Like I said, it should be about three weeks from when we record it. What would you say to somebody who's thinking about coming?

Judy Prine (12:27)
Well, the excitement of it is there's over 121 presenters, including the ladies that are hosting this podcast here. they have some good ones planned. We've already read those and vetted those. were refereed. These people are speaking or have presented a proposal and they've been refereed and rated and several different individuals have read them.

So they will receive in the next couple of days, I think it's the 30th, I think, they'll receive that they were accepted to present. And so then we'll start making the schedule. There is ⁓ the featured speaker this year, or the keynote speaker is Beth Cannon. And she's amazing, but her topic is so interesting. And everyone will want to come.

To hear that, it's called Assess Your Quest. A-S-S-E-S-S, your quest. So that is why we do what we do and how we can do better. And there is a public policy luncheon so that we advocate for children that way. She's coming in from Texas and has changed her topic several times, but that would be fine. But the bottom line of going to an in-person conference,

is building the relationships, professional relationships. You never know down the road when you might move to a different state and might need a contact where the jobs are. Do you know somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody? That's just the way the South is. The relationships, you walk in the door and somebody's gonna see you. Hopefully you'll find me. If you're watching online and hug my neck and say, hey, I heard you on the podcast, that would thrill my soul.

But we build relationships. It's all about networking. The presenters will provide you with new ideas, new techniques, maybe even things you haven't thought about in a very long time. Just do that. Let me do that again in my classroom. So the practical application will be something you will enjoy. There will be a time that you will find somebody on the staff, on the committee, committee and go,

You had too many I liked at the same time and I had to choose one. And so that makes you want to come back next year to hear the person you didn't hear. And so we've already ⁓ on the Seek It side have already planned our next ⁓ four conferences. Is it okay if I share their locations now?

We still don't have a month that we usually do it in January, February, March. There's always a spring conference, but in 2025, it will be in Oklahoma. It will either be in Tulsa or Oklahoma City, depending on a space that can hold all our attendees. 2028 will be in Florida and everybody wants to go to Orlando. 2029, it will be in South Carolina at Myrtle Beach.

And then in 2020, it will be in Texas at San Antonio. So once you start, you will be addicted to coming to CECA. I hope so. You will come and enjoy the presenters. There'll be vendors that will be from sponsoring. I don't know how, I don't know if I can say names, but from sponsoring organizations that will have the items for sale or items for you to play with.

and see if you really like them before you purchase them from a larger ⁓ sponsor that might have them mail to you. Just the networking. But it's the hugs are my favorite. Seeing people you know are my favorite. And then there's built-in times to go see a child care center in the area so you can share where you see something they're doing.

and you just share that you saw that idea and then you do it at your center or your school. So that's what it means to me.

Kate Young (16:41)
to say that if they weren't listening, hopefully they have plenty of time. If you do not already have business cards and you aren't thinking about that, maybe you just like the digital ones, which is great, but I'm still going to encourage you to bring some of those paper ones. ⁓ There's something about being able to have a stack of them that you want to go through. I am a huge networker, absolutely something that Carrie and I are fond of.

The ones we remember to get back to.

Carrie Casey (17:12)
business cards. I like to pass them out. don't always remember to do something with the ones I collect, but I like to pass them out because frequently by having a business card, I can write on the back of them. This is where I met them and this is what we talked about. And then I know that ⁓ Trevor who we met at Sika last year,

wants to talk about rough and tumble play or big body play. And so I can write on the back and I did write on the back of his card, big body play. And that helps me remember not just the name, but what we talked about, what the conversation was. And I have an electronic business card, but I can't write on the back of my phone, the person's name and what we talked about. So I use both of them.

And when we go to a conference, what you didn't talk about are the fun evening things, because frequently there are some fun evening things. You go to the sessions during the day, you learn, you make some friends, and then you say, hey, are you going to the evening event? And you make arrangements to meet up with your new friend at the evening event and deepen your friendship and your connection, because there are things

that only other owners or only other directors or only other researchers can understand. And you don't necessarily wanna talk to the center that's two doors down. You wanna talk to somebody else who has the same view.

vision as you but isn't your competition and going to an in person conference is one of the best ways to find those people who have the same values cuz they showed up at the same sessions that you did so you have some similar interests so i like a virtual conference we do a virtual you know virtual events as well but there are things there's a reason why can i go to as many in person conferences as we do is cuz we love

those other elements, the sessions, meeting the right people, and then hanging out with them in a relaxed social setting as well.

Kate Young (19:14)
Absolutely. Judy, real quick, tell folks what the name of that book is, how they can get that book. And like I said, I'll drop all of those notes in the show notes. Well, I won't really, but our podcast people will. And we want to make sure that we get people that opportunity to, to maybe go pick up that book.

Judy Prine (19:34)
I certainly will. I do want to let the secret out, the fun activity that will happen at the Seeker Conference in Monsville, Alabama. We're going to do line dancing. We're all going to have a line dance. there's a... Bring my Bring your booth. So we're going to do that. And there's some awards that are given out, but... And there's food.

Carrie Casey (19:51)
Bring my boots. Got it. Yes.

Judy Prine (20:01)
People love to come to events where there's food. So please come to that event. Back to my book, it's called Voices of Early Childhood Educators, Conversations About Change in the United States South. That is conversations about change in the United States South. But it's the voice of early childhood educators. And so that is available on our SQL website.

I don't remember the price because I already paid for it.

Kate Young (20:31)
And it came out just last January. So this is, we're not talking about a book that's, you know, a couple of decades old. We're talking about current changes in the South, in the United States and how that's affecting childcare.

Judy Prine (20:43)
Absolutely. Absolutely. This has been an amazing joy for me. And I hope I've invited more participants to join Seca. But I hope that all of you share this podcast. Carrie and Kate do an amazing job just sharing their thoughts and their expertise. So please share this podcast with your friends. You never know.

That's who we are as people and our humans. We always wanna lift up our sisters that are in the business. Also, we have some brothers that are in the business, but it's all about sharing the camaraderie that we have. So share this podcast, go to YouTube, see my face for sure, ⁓ but listen and share for those that are in need or might need a friendly voice to... ⁓

promote early childhood education.

Kate Young (21:43)
You said it better than I could Judy so I'm not even going to repeat that and with that we can't wait to see you guys in a few days on the next episode