April 3, 2015, Des Moines, Iowa – Children & Families of Iowa (CFI) is pleased to congratulate Stephanie Smith, a lead teacher at CFI’s Therapeutic Child Care program, on her recent acceptance as a recipient of the Terri Lynne Lokoff Children’s Tylenol National Child Care Teacher Awards.
Child care teachers from all 50 states were invited to apply for the award, which recognizes the nation’s best and most dedicated early child care teachers. A committee of child care specialists reviewed the applications and selected fifty teachers to receive the award.
Applicants were asked to design a classroom enhancement project for the children they teach, and to provide an illustration of the education, social, and emotional benefits of the project. Smith wrote her required essay on the importance of sensory perception and integration in the classroom and the response of a child’s body. As an award recipient, she will receive $500 to implement the project, as well as additional funds for her own personal use. She will also receive an all-expenses paid trip to Philadelphia for the award ceremony.
As one of the top ten recipients of the award, Smith was also a finalist for the Helene Marks Award, which selects one of the top ten applicants to be named National Child Care Teacher of the Year.
“We are incredibly proud of Stephanie for receiving this prestigious award, which recognizes the hard work, dedication, and passion she demonstrates in her classroom every day,” says Janice Lane, CFI’s Chief Executive Officer. “The opportunity to implement her project will allow us to continue exploring new, innovative ways that best meet the unique needs of children in our Therapeutic Child Care program.”
CFI’s Therapeutic Child Care program is designed for children ages 2 to 6 who have been identified as having special behavioral/emotional needs and require a learning environment specializing in meeting those needs.
