Teri Aldrich, preschool teacher at Heartland Programs in Salina, KS, receives notification that she will receive the TLLCCF's top honor- the Helene Marks Award as National Child Care Teacher of the Year. Aldrich will be honored at a special ceremony on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at the King of Prussia Mall in Pennsylvania.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lisa Tordo 610-992-1140 pr@childcareabc.org

THE TERRI LYNNE LOKOFF CHILD CARE FOUNDATION
NAMES TERI ALDRICH NATIONAL CHILD CARE TEACHER OF THE YEAR™

 Teri Aldrich, Salina, KS, will be honored at a
special ceremony on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 in King of Prussia, PA

King of Prussia, PA, February 27, 2008 – The Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation (TLLCCF) is proud to announce that Teri Aldrich, a preschool teacher at Heartland Programs in Salina, was selected to receive the Foundation’s top honor – the Helene Marks Award™ as the National Child Care Teacher of the Year™.  Aldrich was one of the top ten scores for the Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children’s TYLENOL® National Child Care Teacher Awards™, and was invited to answer an additional essay question to qualify for the top honor.  Aldrich will receive her award formally at the awards ceremony on April 9, 2008.  The combined award for both honors is $2,000, a portion of which will benefit Heartland Programs.

The Terri Lynne Lokoff /Children’s TYLENOL® National Child Care Teacher Awards™ ceremony will be held on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at the Pavilion at the King of Prussia Mall- located in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

This year, child care teachers from across the nation participated in the program. As part of the application process, applicants designed an enhancement project that illustrated the educational, social and emotional benefits for the children in their care.  With her award-winning project, MARVEL with Movement,’ Aldrich, who works with children who have special needs, designed a program to prepare the children for higher academic achievement.  MARVEL is an acronym for moving across the Midline, Aerobic exercise, Rhythmic movement, Vestibular movement, Eye contact and movement, and Large/gross motor movement.  She will use the award money to purchase equipment that will enhance these activities.

A committee of 49 early childhood educators and experts from the United States reviewed and scored each application.  When the scoring was complete, the top 52 applicants, representing 36 states, were named recipients of the Terri Lynne Lokoff /Children’s TYLENOL® National Child Care Teacher Awards™. Each recipient will receive a $1,000 award: $500 to implement their proposed project and $500 to acknowledge their dedication to their chosen profession.  They will also receive a signature Silver Rose stickpin, courtesy of Bernie Robbins Fine Jewelry.

From the inception of the Teacher Awards program in 1994, the TLLCCF has presented 482 awards totaling more than $453,000 to early care and education providers for their dedication and excellence in providing quality child care. 

Stated TLLCCF Executive Director Allan Miller, “In the 13 years the Foundation has been presenting theTeacher Awards, preschool teachers have expressed their gratitude for the award and recognition and have stated that this award validates their work as a preschool teacher.   We believe that we owe them a debt of thanks.  Early care and education providers should be honored for their dedication to the children they teach and care for.”

Continued Miller, “The focus of the Foundation is to improve the quality of programs that care for and educate children from birth through age five and enlist and enlighten others to do the same.  The Terri Lynne Lokoff /Children’s TYLENOL® National Child Care Teacher Awards™ allows us the opportunity to personally thank those who are dedicated to teaching our children – our future.  By recognizing this group of exemplary child care teachers we are, in fact, honoring all in the field for their valuable contributions to society.” 

McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a division of McNeil-PPC, Inc., the makers of Children’s TYLENOL® has been the title sponsor for seven consecutive years.  Other major event sponsors include: hosts Bloomingdale’s and King of Prussia Mall, Bernie Robbins Fine Jewelry, Jones Apparel Group, Goddard School and Harmelin Media.

For 20 years TLLCCF has been making America better by improving early care and education. The Foundation has dedicated its resources to improving the quality of child care for all children; supporting and elevating the status of child care teachers and providers; raising awareness of the need for affordable, quality child care; and, partnering with business and government in making child care a priority.  TLLCCF is a nonprofit, nonsectarian 501(c)(3) organization established in 1987 in memory of Terri Lynne Lokoff, a devoted child care worker.

For additional information about the Foundation or the Terri Lynne Lokoff /Children’s TYLENOL® National Child Care Teacher Awards™, please visit www.childcareabc.org or call 610.992.1140.

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2008 Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children’s TYLENOL® National Child Care Teacher Awards™ Winners

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