Schools
Wilmette Child Development Center Teacher Wins National Award
Susan Wapniarski was one of 50 selected from a nationwide pool for the Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children's TYLENOL National Child Care Award.
The Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation (TLLCCF) announced Tuesday that Susan Wapniarski of the Wilmette Child Development Center is one of 50 recipients of the 2015 Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children’s TYLENOL National Child Care Teacher Award.
Wapniarski, an early care and education teacher, was selected from a pool of applicants nationwide and received an award of $1,000 at a ceremony in Philadelphia last month.
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The recipients of the Terri Lynne Lokoff National Child Care Teacher Awards all designed an enhancement project that illustrates the educational, social and emotional benefits for the children in their care. Wapniarski’s award-winning project, implemented with a grant from the awards program, is “Project Based Engineering.”
“Engineering in my preschool classroom is planning, building and designing with open ended materials,” Wapniarski said. “Currently open-ended materials and components are offered for several days or weeks to explore and master. By offering project-based engineering in my classroom, I will be able to successfully engage my students with hands-on engineering lessons, experiences and opportunities for extended learning by incorporating math, science and technology skills.”
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From the inception of the Teacher Awards program in 1994 the TLLCCF has presented 843 awards for more than $800,000 to early care and education teachers and providers for their dedication and excellence.
TLLCCF Executive Director Allan Miller stated, “The field of early childhood education has made great strides as being an essential first step in the formal education of a young child,” said Allan Miller, TLLCCF Executive Director. “Child care teachers are being recognized for the important role they play in providing learning opportunities for as young as 6 weeks of age to five years old. The teachers, particularly those honored as our national award winners, are professionals.”
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Photo: Wapniarski with TLLCCF Founder Kay Lokoff.
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