For Lynala Nakai, an early childhood instructional coach with Central Region Educational Cooperative (CREC) and Mentor Network Lead in Farmington, New Mexico, mentorship is about showing up for people.

After four years as a mentor, Lynala stepped into the Lead role this year, bringing her experience as an instructional coach to support educators in monthly group meetings. From the start, her goal was to create room for mentees to lead themselves. “We weren’t going to be the ones doing the majority of the talking,” she says. “We wanted them to present, build confidence, and get to know one another.”

That philosophy carries into her one-on-one work, too. When a mentee was going through a difficult time mid-semester, Lynala kept showing up, sending resources, following up, and kept checking in. “You’re almost done. You’re doing the best you can. Keep going,” she told her. The mentee finished the semester.

For Lynala, the best part of the Network is the relationships it builds and the reminder to keep learning.”Just be open minded,” she says. “We’re so caught up in our own teaching strategies, but we don’t always think about how other teachers are modifying their lessons and what we can learn from them.”

Join the Mentor Network.

This spring, Early Childhood Networks and Scholarship and Pay Incentive program staff attended conferences and returned with valuable insights to strengthen their work.

NMAEYC Annual Conference | April 10-11, 2026 | Albuquerque

Staff presented on how programs support recruitment, retention, and professional growth of early childhood educators. 

Key takeaways: educators valued scholarship support for completing degrees, while concerns emerged regarding the recognition of work experience and barriers to higher education.

National Early Childhood Workforce Convening | April 13-17, 2026 | Chapel Hill, NC

Staff presented statewide educator support programs, including mentorship, scholarships, wage supplements, and professional networks. 

Key takeaways: New Mexico is seen as a national leader in early childhood investment, with attendees interested in how the state funds its programs.

ECECD Multilingual Convening | April 16-17, 2026 | Albuquerque 

The third annual convening brought together educators and stakeholders to discuss the needs of multilingual programs. Staff presented bilingual support programs, and Infant-Toddler Teacher Network Lead Diana Bravo participated in a panel. 

Key takeaways: strong program interest, with feedback on accessibility and inclusion to inform future program planning. In early childhood education, learning never stops. Get support with mentorship and professional growth: Early Childhood Networks

In early childhood education, learning never stops. Get support with mentorship and professional growth: Early Childhood Networks