The Central Valley Education Summit will fill the event space at Tangram Interiors' showroom at 7700 N. Palm Ave. in Fresno. The second annual event is scheduled for April 15. Photo composite by Israel Meave

After a promising debut last year, Tangram Interiors is getting ready to host its second annual Central Valley Education Summit. The event will bring together educators, designers and industry professionals to collaborate on the future of learning environments across the Central Valley.

The event is slated to take place on Wednesday, April 15 at Tangram’s showroom at 7700 N. Palm Ave.

Last year’s event drew a large crowd from leaders across K-12 and higher education, as well as architecture, design and construction sectors.

Alyssa Armesto, vice president of Tangram’s Central Valley division, said the idea for the summit came from the goal of creating a space for local collaboration, rather than depending on national conferences.

The conditions are ripe for it, she thought.

“There’s so much happening right here in the Valley,” she said.

Armesto, who has been with Tangram for 13 years and now oversees operations from Bakersfield to Modesto and the Central Coast, said the region’s post Covid-19 growth, mainly in education, highlighted the need for a localized education forum.

The summit was designed to bring together a variety of stakeholders, including school administrators, facilities teams, architects, contractors and industry partners. Armesto said the goal is to create and sustain a collaborative environment where participants are able to share ideas, challenges and solutions to the Central Valley.

“This is not about pushing product. This isn’t a trade show,” she said. “It’s a working session.”

The inaugural event passed expectations, mainly with the attendance and engagement level.

“You create these events wondering if your needs and wants are the same as others in the community,” Armesto said. “And we were blown away with the participation.”

She added that the summit served as a platform to highlight ongoing projects and innovations happening across the Central Valley.

This year’s event will introduce several new elements, including panel discussions alongside continuing education unit (CEU) sessions and project spotlights. The CEU offerings are geared toward architects and designers who require ongoing professional education, while addressing topics such as early childhood learning environments.

“One topic is going to be on early education,” Armesto said, noting the expansion of transitional kindergarten and increased demand for preschool and daycare facilities. “Making sure that these spaces are impactful for the littlest of the generations.”

One of the main differences attendees can expect at this year’s event is an interactive panel that features a contractor, an architect and a college president. The discussion will focus on the realities of delivering education projects in the Central Valley.

“I want them to be able to share their lessons where they see the challenges,” Armesto said. “And how can we have an open dialogue as a community to address those.”

This year, Armesto wants to see more audience participation, encouraging attendees to share their own perspectives and experiences.

“Our main focus is we want everyone to feel like when they come into the room, that they have a voice,” she said.