|
|
Scholastic Early Childhood Today™ Magazine, the leading magazine for early childhood professionals, announces the fifth annual Scholastic Early Childhood Professional Awards, the only national awards program to recognize the vital role played by early childhood teachers and childcare providers. This year's six grand-prize winners will be honored at an awards ceremony hosted by Scholastic in New York City on November 20th - with special guests including Ellen Galinsky, President, Families and Work Institute and Kathleen Alfano, Director of Child Research at Fisher-Price. Doug E. Fresh, rap artist and Scholastic's children's book author will give a musical performance. Fisher-Price, the world's leading manufacturer of infant and preschool toys, is the official sponsor of the 2002 Scholastic Early Childhood Professional Awards.
Each year, parents, teachers, and directors of early childhood programs from around the country nominate individuals for their commitment to nurturing and educating young children, and finalists are selected by a panel of Scholastic early childhood experts and respected advisors. Scholastic Early Childhood Magazine awards six grand-prize winners in the following categories: Infant Teacher, Toddler Teacher, Preschool Teacher, Kindergarten Teacher, Family Care Provider, and Center Director. An additional 25 honorable-mention winners are also selected each year.
The Scholastic Early Childhood Professional Awards was launched in 1998 by Scholastic Parent & Child® and Scholastic Early Childhood Today Magazines, in conjunction with National Childcare Professionals Day, established by U.S. Senate and U.S. House resolutions. Today the awards remain the only national program to recognize early childhood professionals. The program celebrates the special relationship between parents and the childcare professionals who are partners in caring for and teaching their children.
"Early childhood professionals are crucial to the healthy development of young children," said Judsen Culbreth, Vice President of Scholastic Family Custom Publishing. "These educators nurture, love and support the more than 6 million children in their care each day and help to ensure the positive development and future educational success of the youth of America."
The six grand-prize winners each receive roundtrip tickets to New York to attend NAEYC, Scholastic products valued at $1,000, and Fisher-Price's Kasey the Kinderbot™, an interactive learning toy that helps teach academic, social and physical skills needed for school readiness. The winners will also be featured in an upcoming issue of Scholastic Early Childhood Today Magazine.
The 2002 Scholastic Early Childhood Professional Award Winners:
Scholastic Early Childhood Today Magazine, published eight times yearly, offers early childhood teachers and child care center directors teaching tips, curriculum activities, management strategies, technology updates, advice, and more - all provided by leading experts. Early Childhood Today, serves over 250,000 teachers and child care center directors nationwide.
About Scholastic:
Scholastic Corporation (NMS: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, textbooks, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries, and television networks; and the Company's Internet Site, www.scholastic.com.
About Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE:MAT) and located in East Aurora, New York, is the leading brand of infant and preschool toys in the world. Celebrating over 70 years of excellence in children's products, some of the Company's best known "classic" brands include Little People®, Power Wheels® and View-Master®. The Fisher-Price brand includes some of the most popular and widely recognized character brands - from Barney™ and Blue's Clues™ to Disney, Dora the Explorer™, Sesame Street® and Winnie the Pooh. The Company also develops and markets a line of juvenile products called babygear. The Company's web site can be found at www.fisher-price.com, providing valuable articles and resources to new and expectant parents.