April 7, 2022 2022 Pennsylvania’s Equity in Early Childhood Education Champion Award Winners The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has announced winners of the 2022 Pennsylvania Equity in Early Childhood Education Champion Awards. The award, provided from the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), brings awareness to and highlight the equity work being done within Pennsylvania’s early childhood education and afterschool settings, and by child care, evidence-based home visiting and early intervention professionals, as it aligns with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Equity and Inclusion Toolkit, and with the position statement of the National Association for the Education for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement. Equity in Early Childhood Education Champion Award Winners Several Early Childhood Education Champions are from Western Pennsylvania: Gold Recipients Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh La Scuola d’Italia Galileo Galilei in Pittsburgh Silver Recipients HOST (Heritage Out of School Time) in North Braddock Heritage 4 Kids Early Learning Center in Braddock Bronze Recipients Rutledge Institute for Early Childhood Education in California The Village of FPC (California, PA) in California Jessie Bucci in New Castle Honorable Mentions Melissa Judy in Connellsville Grand Beginnings Children’s Center, Inc. in Indiana The Growing Garden Child Care Center, LLC in Tarentum A full list of winners and information about Equity and Early Childhood Education in Pennsylvania is available on the PA Keys website.
January 12, 2022 Apply: PA Equity in Early Childhood Education Champion Awards Applications and nominations are now being accepted for the Pennsylvania’s Equity in Early Childhood Education Champion Awards. The awards recognize individuals or programs that have demonstrated support to children and their families through: embracing diversity and full inclusion as strengths, upholding fundamental principles of fairness and justice, and/or working to eliminate structural inequities that limit equitable learning opportunities. About the Awards The awards bring awareness to and highlight the equity work being done within Pennsylvania’s early childhood education and afterschool settings, and by child care, evidence-based home visiting and early intervention professionals, as it aligns with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Equity and Inclusion Toolkit, and with the position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement. Eligibility The following are categories of eligible entities. All must be physically located and operating within Pennsylvania, and providing services to Pennsylvania’s children. Individuals: Individuals, employed at a Pennsylvania certified/licensed child care, afterschool, Early Intervention, or an Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) funded Family Support program. Individuals must be employed at the eligible program at the time of submission. Early Childhood Education/Child Care and Afterschool: Programs must be certified/licensed by Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS), and in good standing with DHS at time of submission. In addition, a Federal Head Start/Early Head Start grantee that operates a program that is certified/licensed by DHS may submit a nomination for the DHS certified/licensed program. Nomination categories include: Child Care Center Group Child Care Home Family Child Care Home Afterschool Program Early Intervention: Programs providing Early Intervention services and supports are eligible to submit a nomination as it relates to early intervention services and equity. OCDEL funded Family Support programs Apply Submissions can be an application (apply on your own or a program/organization’s behalf), or nomination (submit another individual or program/organization) to be acknowledged for their work around equity in the early childhood education or afterschool setting. Self-applications are accepted. Applications/nominations and any supporting documentation will be submitted via electronic online submission process only. Applications may be submitted in English or in Spanish. All applications must be submitted by 5 pm, February 7, 2022. Each completed submission will receive an official signed and framed certificate of placement level (Gold, Silver, Bronze) from OCDEL, appropriate for display. Completed submissions will also receive electronic copy and supporting images for their own digital use on websites, social media, electronic communications, etc. Completed submissions will be promoted during April 2022 Month of the Young Child, with promotion by OCDEL. More Information Visit the Pennsylvania Key website for more information.
