69th MRA Conference: Full Schedule

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8:30am EST

Gather in Community: Welcome & Keynote Session with Wiley Blevins

Saturday March 8, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EST

Day 1 Opening Session
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Gather in Community: Welcome & Intro
Join us for a warm welcome to kick off Day 1 of the conference. We’ll begin by recognizing outstanding authors with the Gwen Frostic Educator Awards, honoring those who have made a lasting impact in the field of education.
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Keynote General Session: Wiley Blevins
We are excited to welcome Wiley Blevins as our keynote speaker for Day 1. In his session, "Transitioning to Structured Literacy: A Case Study," Dr. Blevins will share firsthand experiences from lab schools in NYC as they navigated the shift from leveled book reading to structured literacy. He will explore the challenges they encountered and highlight the strategies that proved most impactful. This keynote offers a unique opportunity to explore structured literacy in action and its role in shaping effective, evidence-based instruction. Let’s come together, celebrate educators, and learn from this transformative journey in literacy education!

Speakers

Liz Lietz, MRA President

ELA Consultant, Macomb Intermediate School District

Liz Lietz is an ELA Consultant for the Macomb Intermediate School District. She is currently serving as the President of the Michigan Reading Association, and is a Member-At-Large for NCTE's Conference on English Leadership (CEL) executive board. Liz taught high school English and... Read More →

Dr. Wiley Blevins

Senior Vice President, Associate Publisher, Benchmark Education Company

Wiley Blevins has a Doctorate in Education. He studied at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Bowling Green State University. He is an author, educational consultant, and researcher, and has taught both in the United States and South America. Wiley has written over 17 books... Read More →

Saturday March 8, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EST
DeVos Ballroom A/B

8:30am EDT

Gather in Community: Welcome & Keynote Session with Kelly J. Baptist

Sunday March 9, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT

DeVos Ballroom A/B

Day 2 Conference Schedule
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Gather in Community: Welcome & Intro
Start your day by coming together for a warm welcome and exciting announcements! We’ll celebrate the 30 Under 30 Award recipients, share the results of the election, and reveal the 2026 theme.
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Keynote General Session: Kelly J. Baptist
Join us as we kick off Day 2 with a keynote session from Kelly J. Baptist. In her presentation, "The Art of Taking A Breath," Kelly will guide us to pause, reflect, and embrace the power of being present. As literacy educators, we often keep moving forward, but what happens when we intentionally take a breath? Kelly will help us explore the importance of balance, renewal, and purpose in our work every day.
Let’s gather in community, take a collective breath, and set the tone for a meaningful and enriching Day 2 of the conference!

Speakers

Kelly J. Baptist

Kelly J. Baptist is the award-winning author of eight books for kids, including Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero, The Electric Slide and Kai, and the NAACP Image Award-nominated Eb & Flow. Kelly was the 2023 Gwen Frostic Award recipient. She lives and writes in Southwest Michigan, where her... Read More →

Sunday March 9, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT
DeVos Ballroom A/B