News

November 15, 2023

Nominations Open for the 2024 Voice for Children Award

Do you know an outstanding early childhood professional who is using their voice to advocate for young children and families? Nominate them for the 2024 Voice for Children Award!

Learn More

The VOICE for Children Award is the only statewide award in Pennsylvania that recognizes early care and education professionals, who are not paid advocates, that go above and beyond their daily work in the field by being grassroots leaders through advocacy and public policy efforts.

Nomination Criteria

Nominees must:

  • Display dispositions of a model early childhood advocate, including (but not exclusive to) serving as an expert witness, providing public testimony, appearing in media, serving on a board in a public policy capacity, receiving distinctive honors or awards for previous advocacy work, leading advocacy campaigns or actions, working with leaders and elected officials, and/or recognized as an early childhood leader in their community.

  • Be a current member of PennAEYC to be considered.

Nominate an Educator

Nominations must be submitted no later than Friday, December 1, 2023. To submit a nomination, complete this nomination form and email it to Director of Public Policy and Advocacy Kimberly Early at kearly@pennaeyc.org. Please add “2024 VOICE Nomination” in your email subject line.

Nomination Guidelines

  • Nomination forms will be used to determine the winners of the VOICE for Children Award. Specific documentation (such as links to newspaper articles, titles, awards/honors) should be provided if known to substantiate a nominee’s advocacy efforts. PennAEYC staff will review each nomination based on the information provided. It is important that the nomination form is fully completed and all necessary information is included.

  • There is a 500-word maximum to your response to why you believe your nominee should be selected as a recipient of the 2024 PennAEYC VOICE for Children Award.

  • Including a biography of the nominee is encouraged, but not required.

  • Membership with PennAEYC is not required for the person nominating or endorsing a nominee.

To learn more, visit the PennAEYC website.

News

February 16, 2022

2022 Voice for Children Celebration

The Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children recognizes the critical role advocacy plays in high quality early learning settings and celebrates those who speak on behalf of Pennsylvania’s children. As the voice for early care and learning, community advocates are an invaluable component to assuring all Pennsylvania’s children get the start they deserve in school and life.

The VOICE for Children Award is the only statewide award in Pennsylvania recognizing the grassroots leaders whose work impacts the quality of care for young children in diverse settings. Now in its eleventh year, the VOICE Award celebrates not only individual award recipients, but the early childhood profession.

Register via the PennAEYC website. Registration closes on March 23, 2022.

Location

Hershey Resort and Lodge
325 University Drive
Hershey, PA 17033

Award Recipients

VOICE for Children Recipients

  • Doris Keith Clark |  Owner, Director, Doris Keith Clark Child Care Center
  • Christina Saunders, Ed. D. Candidate | Center Director, Crayons Clubhouse II
  • Minnette Taylor M. Ed. | Owner, G & T Daycare Montessori Program; Founder & CEO, Mini Montessori Academy

VOICE for Children Distinguished Career Recipients

  • Pamela Haines | First Up Public Policy Consultant
  • Karen L Nemeth | Senior Training/Technical Assistance Specialist-DLL, Zero to Three

Additional Information

For additional information on this event, contact Rose Snyder at rsnyder@pennaeyc.org