MIDDLETOWN >> Over 250 festively dressed and masked educators and community leaders gathered together for a formal dinner to celebrate the annual Early Childhood Educator of the Year Awards at the Twin Pine Casino Event Center in Middletown.
Nine early educators were selected to receive awards from a pool of 92 nominees recognized by their peers and community leaders and the families they serve for their commitment to excellence in their profession. The winners were evaluated based on their education, responses to interview questions, commitment to their profession and effectiveness in their roles.
Joy Swartz, Winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award for over 25 years as an early educator professional, said she was flabbergasted and honored to receive the award and could not have done any of it without the support of a wonderful team of other dedicated professionals.
April Leiferman, Assistant Superintendent Lake County Office of Education, while presenting an award stated, “Kindergarten teachers know who they are on the first day of school which children had pre-school because they have better social skills and academic skills than children without pre-school.”
The awards ceremony is unique in that it recognizes the significant contribution that early childhood educators offer to young children ages 0-5 to prepare them to be successful in school and in life. An early childhood educator is a person who works with young children and their families, from birth to kindergarten, in nursery schools, childcare centers, pre-schools and other education settings.
Professional early childhood educators assess children’s developmental needs, plan programs and environments for play and activities in healthy, safe and nurturing environments. The educators maintain healthy emotional and social learning contexts for children and report to parents on the children’s developmental progress. Children who have benefitted from early childhood education are frequently found to possess better social skills and show a significant increase in readiness when they begin attending school.
The Early Childhood Educator of the Year Awards is an initiative of the Lake County Child Care Planning Council (LPC) of the Lake County Office of Education.
“Many of these educators have dedicated decades to their profession, in the face of dramatic budget cuts and statewide funding priorities that work in opposition to consistent, quality care,” LPC Coordinator, Colleen Campbell said, “Their education, in many cases, equals that of the K-12 educator, and this program provides a forum to recognize that commitment and the important work they do.”
A complete list of award winners may be found on the Lake County Child Care Planning Council’s Facebook page. For more information about the awards or the work that LPC does for parents and children ages 0-5, contact Colleen Campbell at 707-262-4162 or ccampbell@lakecoe.org.
