Arkansas Children’s Week
April 2-8, 2006
Building Strong Foundations for Children
The first Outstanding Early Childhood Professional awards were presented in 1988 by then Governor Bill Clinton. This Sunday, April 2, 2006 the AR Early Childhood Commission and the DHHS/Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education will acknowledge for the 17th year a group of early care and education professionals that play a vital role in preparing young children for school success and years beyond.
During Arkansas Children’s Week, April 2-8, 2006, we recognize the needs of young children to have engaging and quality early care and education programs and we take the opportunity to thank the educators and many others involved in their care and education.
Five individuals are being honored as Outstanding Early Childhood Professionals of 2006
Vernoice Baldwin of Fayetteville is director of the Infant Development Center and The Nursery School on the campus of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. These programs serve as lab school sites for students at the University. Both centers have National Accreditation.
Maria Bynum is a Parents As Teachers home visitor with the Batesville School District and has volunteered as an aide and Hispanic interpreter for the Head Start program for over 10 years.
Deborah McAfee has worked in education and with young children for over 30 years. She is currently Director for the Vilonia Child Development Center (recently renamed the McAfee Center by the Vilonia City Council), the Vilonia ABC program and serves as Assistant Principal for the Vilonia School District. The McAfee program is Quality Accredited.
Amy Pinkston is Director and Early Childhood Education Instructor at Ozarka Kids Academy a Quality Accredited program at Ozarka College in Melbourne. She is actively engaged in teaching not only children but also the college students who will become our future teachers.
Shirley Post of Hope has been involved in early care and education for over 40 years. She operates Grandma’s Child Care and serves as an ABC Program in Hempstead County. Her program meets the Quality Accreditation standards.
