Celebrating the Workforce Behind the Workforce
09/03/24
As we celebrate Labor Day, it’s important to acknowledge the “workforce behind the workforce” – the incredible early childhood educators who support the foundation of our communities. These dedicated professionals work tirelessly behind the scenes to nurture, educate, and inspire the next generation.
Today, we are proud to highlight just a few of the nominees for our Early Childhood Educator Awards! Selecting just four winners was an immense challenge, as we received 340 nominations, each one filled with stories of passion and impact. In this post, we want to share a glimpse of the amazing work being done by some of the nominees across four categories: Hero Award, Excellence in Teaching Award, FCC of the Year Award, and Future Leader Award.
*Nominations have been edited for length and clarity.
Hero Award
Whether in big moments, or small, Action for Children believes that early learning professionals are everyday heroes. The Hero Award recognizes child care providers and staff members of all types who go above and beyond in their service of children and families, despite the many challenges they face. Hero Award recipients are champions and advocates for early learning, demonstrating unparalleled dedication and commitment to serving their communities.
🏅 2024 Hero Award Winner – Carla Kossoudji – YMCA Early Learning Center
“Carla Kossoudji has been a champion for children and families at the YMCA Early Learning Center. She is deeply committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where every child feels valued and supported. She has gone above and beyond to ensure that every child receives the highest level of care and education, regardless of their background or challenges. Carla is a very caring and kind individual, always thinking of others and consistently demonstrating her dedication to the well-being of the children she serves.”
Amber Davis – ABC Child Care
“Amber has been a savior to everyone she surrounds. She steps in wherever needed, whether it’s comforting a child in distress or covering a shift at the last minute. Her dedication to the children and staff is unparalleled, and she truly embodies the spirit of a hero in early childhood education.”
Carla Johnson – Little Explorers Academy
“I’ve worked with Carla for over 30 years and in all that time, I’ve never seen her falter. She has a deep commitment to the children and their families, and she is always there to lend a helping hand, whether it’s through emotional support or creative problem-solving.”
Jenna Smith – Growing Minds Preschool
“Jenna is in the process of designing her own groundbreaking curriculum that integrates mindfulness and emotional well-being into daily activities. Her passion for fostering a positive environment for both children and educators is inspiring, and she consistently goes above and beyond to support her community.”
Future Leader Award
Future Leader Award: This award recognizes early learning professionals who are new to the field, are excelling at their profession, and are committed to creating a bright, successful future for children. Future Leaders dream big about early learning, demonstrate growth and commitment to learning, empower others, and inspire those around them to be their best.
🏅 2024 Future Leader Award Winner – Khrysti Mitchell – Church of the Redeemer Preschool
“Khrysti quickly has become passionate about child-driven care. She started out as a teacher and now she is on her way to leading her own classroom. She has been committed to every training and opportunity to learn more about early childhood education and has shown a true passion for the field.”
Brittany Hourston – YMCA Whitehall Preschool
“Brittany has spent many hours outside of her own work time to ensure the children at our center receive the best possible care and education. On top of the new program, Brittany has been working to implement a positive behavior support system that encourages children to make good choices.”
Dominique Poe – Tarbiya Learning Center
“She has been with the center for little under a year but has shown immense growth and commitment to learning. Dominique is a wonderful person inside and out and cares deeply about the children and families she serves.”
Rosa Hightower Excellence in Teaching Award
This award is presented to educators who have consistently demonstrated excellence in providing innovative, responsive, child-driven care and education. Rosa Hightower Excellence in Teaching Award recipients are veteran educators who have been breaking barriers to create a more equitable, high quality early childhood education system.
🏅 2024 Rosa Hightower Excellence in Teaching Award Winner – Jenna Ketch – Balanced Family Academy
“Jenna is one of the most passionate educators I’ve worked with in my career. She is constantly engaged at the kids’ level, making impactful conversation to help them learn new things and feel at home in the classroom. She dedicates a lot of her time off the clock in order to achieve this goal, which shows how much she cares about each child’s success at her center.”
April Prindle – YMCA Hilliard Preschool
“April is very passionate about preparing students for kindergarten and she understands that this requires individual attention to each child’s specific needs. She provides a safe, warm, and nurturing environment for her students so they can maximize their learning experiences during the time spent in her classroom.”
Breanna Azbell – Sunny Side Childcare
“Breanna has innovative teaching approaches by consistently implementing new crafts, cutting-edge lesson planning using technology, and fun science experiments that get kids learning without them noticing! Her impact extends beyond the classroom, positively influencing the entire school community through her dedication and passion for education.”
FCC of the Year Award
Family Child Care plays a unique role within our communities, and is essential to the early learning landscape. These educators care for small groups of children in their own homes, often from infancy to school entry — building deep bonds with the children and their families. Family Child Care providers are especially attuned to their communities, often caring for children over weekends and at night, groups of siblings together, and aligning to the needs of the families they serve. While teachers in every sense, Family Child Care providers are also small business owners, program directors, cooks, maintenance staff, and more – operating it all from spaces within their own homes. The Family Child Care of the Year Award honors these critical yet often unseen educators who support children, families, and the workforce every day.
🏅 2024 Family Child Care of the Year Award Winner – Paula Bester – Early Prep 2 Success
“Ms. Paula has established a nurturing setting for education and development by implementing suitable activities, schedules, and individualized support. Her family engagement focuses on keeping parents informed, engaging them in decision-making, and offering tools to enhance parenting abilities. Paula has excelled in treating each child as a unique individual, understanding their strengths and addressing their specific needs. She demonstrates flexibility and a readiness to accommodate both parents’ and children’s requirements.”
“Paula consistently supports children by the way she mentors and helps build each child’s self-esteem. Paula takes the time to get to know each student and their needs as well as their families’ needs and focuses on what she can do to help each child be successful.”
April Dinkins – Kennedy’s Play Place
“Ms. April goes above and beyond to support families with traditional and non-traditional hours. She truly cares about the children and their educational needs. Ms. April reached out to me to assist her with educating a young child who felt they could not learn. The encouragement and support she provided this little girl was amazing. I vote Ms. April for FCC of the Year Award!”
Yvonne Ivey
“Yvonne has always gone above and beyond for the children that she serves. She is always reaching out to find new ways of teaching and caring for EVERY child because she wants each child to feel loved and respected. Yvonne even got her 5th star right after getting her 4th and is determined to get her Type A licensure. She always wants what is best for her children, to run an amazing quality childcare business, and to be a wonderful, always-smiling human being!”
Recognizing Action for Children’s 2024 Early Childhood Educator Award Winners
- Hero Award: Carla Kossoudji – YMCA Early Learning Center
- Future Leader: Khrysti Mitchell – Church of the Redeemer Preschool
- Excellence in Teaching: Jenna Ketch – Balanced Family Academy
- FCC of the Year: Paula Bester – Early Prep 2 Success
These educators represent the very best in early childhood education, and we are honored to celebrate their outstanding contributions.
Join Us for the 2024 Early Childhood Educator Award Ceremony!
Mark your calendars for October 15th, and join us in celebrating these exceptional educators at the 2024 Early Childhood Educator Award ceremony. Tickets are available now, and we encourage you to secure your spot early. Visit actionforchildren.org/2024eceawards to purchase tickets and learn more about the event!
Action for Children is the local child care resource and referral agency for central Ohio, and is committed to assuring quality early learning experiences for all children. Our services focus on transforming the lives of children by supporting the everyday heroes who most influence our children’s early growth; care givers, educators, parents, and guardians. Learn More.