December 12, 2022 Deadline Extended: Apply for the 2023 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards First Up is seeking applications for the 2023 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards. UPDATE: The application deadline has been extended to Friday, January 6, 2023. About the 2023 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards The 2023 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards honor exceptional child care professionals. In 1987, Kay and Fred Lokoff formed the TLLCCF to honor the memory of their daughter Terri, a passionate child care teacher who knew the incredible value of Early Childhood Education and was committed to making a difference by giving children a strong start in their lives. Child care teachers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and on U.S. Military bases and installations around the world are invited to apply for the awards. Fifty awards are presented each year. Complete eligibility details are available on the First Up website. Every award recipient receives: a $1,000 cash prize, a trip to Philadelphia for the award ceremony (COVID permitting), and a chance to win the Helene Marks Award with the additional honor of being named the National Child Care Teacher of the Year. The 2023 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards Celebration will be held April 29, 2023. Apply To apply, complete the online application. For those who would like to print and mail their completed application, a downloadable PDF version is available. More Information For further questions, please email teacheraward@firstup.org.
February 2, 2022 Deadline Extended: 2022 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards Do you know an exceptional child care professional or are you one yourself? Apply for the 2022 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards to nominate that person for a chance to win the Helene Marks Award, a $1,000 cash prize, and more! The application deadline has been extended to February 11, 2022, and First Up will be hosting informational sessions about the application process. About In collaboration with the Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation (TLLCCF), First Up is hosting the 2022 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards to honor exceptional child care professionals. In 1987, Kay and Fred Lokoff formed the TLLCCF to honor the memory of their daughter. Terri was a passionate child care teacher who knew the incredible value of Early Childhood Education and was committed to making a difference by giving children a strong start in their lives. Applications for the 2022 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards are now available. Child care teachers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and on U.S. Military bases and installations around the world are invited to apply. Fifty awards are presented each year. What Will Recipients Win? Every award recipient receives: a $1,000 cash prize, a trip to Philadelphia for the award ceremony (COVID permitting), and a chance to win the Helene Marks Award with the additional honor of being named the National Child Care Teacher of the Year. Application To apply, complete the online application. For those who would like to print and mail their completed application, a downloadable PDF version is available. Applications are due by February 11, 2022. Informational Sessions First Up staff will do a virtual walk through of the application and answer any questions. Registration is required: February 2 from 6 – 6:45 p.m. February 9 from 6 – 6:45 p.m. More Information For more information, please contact Jessica Feng at jessica.feng@firstup.org.
January 5, 2021 Trauma Foundations Series: New Eyes Training Are you interested in learning about Trauma-Informed Care and how to create self-care plans? Join First Up in January 2021 for their New Eyes training and forum. About The New Eyes training is the first offering in First Up’s trauma series, led in partnership with Lakeside Global Institute (LGI), and is geared for individuals with little or no exposure to Trauma-Informed Care. At the end of each training, First Up will lead forums in which attendees will further discuss and learn to apply the specifics of the training to the field of Early Childhood Education. Attendees will understand the different types of stress and how to develop self-care plans for themselves and more. Session Dates Training Dates Tuesday, January 5, 2021 | 7 – 8 p.m. | Register Tuesday, January 12, 2021 | 7 – 8 p.m. | Register Monday, January 18, 2021 | 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. | Register Saturday, January 23, 2021 | 9 – 10 a.m. | Register Forum Dates Thursday, January 7, 2021 | 1 – 2 p.m. | Register Thursday, January 14, 2021 | 1 – 2 p.m. | Register Monday, January 18, 2021 | 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Register Monday, January 25, 2021 | 7 – 8 p.m. | Register Saturday, January 30, 2021 | 9 – 10 a.m. | Register More Information For more information, visit the event registration page. This information was provided by First Up.
December 22, 2020 From Self-Care to Best Practice in a Trauma-Impacted World Save the date! From March 5 – 6, 2021, First Up is hosting their virtual conference “Hope and Healing: From Self-Care to Best Practice in a Trauma-Impacted World.” About This conference is being carefully curated by the First Up team to provide a break, a safe space, and a chance for all participants to come together to fill their cups with the things they individually need. For some, that may mean a strategy for managing challenging behaviors in the classroom, for others it may mean instruction in a technical/professional skill, or a chance to move their bodies and focus their minds on the present moment. This virtual conference will feature short breakout activities that can be experienced with the whole family. Registration First Up will provide more information on registration in January. For now, save the date! Submit A Presentation Proposal First Up is currently accepting proposals for presenters. If you are interested in presenting, download this RFP form and return it to Becca Tyrell at rebecca.tyrrell@firstup.org no later than January 15, 2021. More Information For questions, please contact First Up at 215.893.0130 or info@firstup.org.
November 13, 2020 2021 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards: Apply Do you know an exceptional child care professional or are you one yourself? Apply for the 2021 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards to nominate that person for a chance to win the Helene Marks Award, a $1,000 cash prize, and more! About In collaboration with the Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation (TLLCCF), First Up is hosting the 2021 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards to honor exceptional child care professionals. In 1987, Kay and Fred Lokoff formed the TLLCCF to honor the memory of their daughter. Terri was a passionate child care teacher who knew the incredible value of Early Childhood Education and was committed to making a difference by giving children a strong start in their lives. Applications for the 2021 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards are now available. Child care teachers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and on U.S. Military bases and installations around the world are invited to apply. Fifty awards are presented each year. What Will Recipients Win? Every award recipient receives: a $1,000 cash prize, a trip to Philadelphia for the award ceremony (COVID permitting), and a chance to win the Helene Marks Award with the additional honor of being named the National Child Care Teacher of the Year. Application To apply, complete the online application. For those who would like to print and mail their completed application, a downloadable PDF version is available. Applications are due by January 29, 2021. More Information For more information, please contact Sharon Bell at Sharon.Bell@firstup.org.
April 3, 2019 PAsmart Announces Grant Awardees In February 2019, Governor Tom Wolf announced funding for PAsmart Apprenticeship and Next Generation Industry Partnerships grants which will connect Pennsylvanians with the information needed to succeed in our evolving economy. About PAsmart PAsmart is focused on ensuring Pennsylvania students and workers have the skills and abilities to meet the economic needs of the 21st century. This initiative aims to do this by expanding access to STEM education in Pennsylvania schools, embracing the Next Generation Industry Partnership model, and creating the Apprenticeship and Training Office to increase apprenticeship opportunities within a variety of industries. OCDEL’s Role The Office of Child Development and Early Learning supports the efforts of PA’s Department of Labor and Industry and is working with them to professionalize the early education field. Efforts include increasing access to a career pathway that results in stackable, portable credentials, and providing relevant, developmentally and culturally appropriate content to support educators working with young children to advance their individual career and education progression. Organization Grantees The following organizations will be supported through PAsmart funds: 1100c Training and Upgrading Fund: Will expand their apprenticeship model in Southeastern Pennsylvania Partner4Work: Will establish a regional hub for Early Childhood Education registered apprenticeships in the Pittsburgh Metro Area Keystone University: Will partner with Lackawanna Trail High School, Luzerne County Community College, and Wilkes University to build an Early Childhood Education (ECE) pipeline through a competency-based apprenticeship that leads to an entry-level ECE credential Shippensburg University: Will design curriculum and develop advanced competencies to expand the Philadelphia ECE apprenticeship to four-year programs Arcadia University: Will expand their RA program for ECE First Up and its partners: Will expand upon apprenticeship supports and program to provide career paths in ECE Learn More For more information, visit pasmart.gov. * Information provided by OCDEL’s PA Early Ed Newsletter
October 10, 2018 Statewide Conversations About Men in ECE Begin Trying Together is partnering with First Up and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) to conduct statewide conversations on how to better recruit, support, and retain qualified men into the field of early childhood education. The topic of male representation in early childhood education (ECE) professions has been a popular discussion for years. In the 2017 Labor Force Statistics Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that men make up only 2.3% of pre-k and kindergartener teachers in the United States of America. Because of this low percentage, organizations and districts are looking deeper into potential causes and solutions to this gap in representation. For individuals interested in contributing to the conversation, contact the representatives below for more information: Rachelle Duffy 412-421-3889, ext. 113 rachelle@tryingtogether.org OR Tyrone Scott 215-893-0130, ext. 242 tyrone.scott@firstup.org Share this flyer with your networks.
