Teacher of the Year

The Teacher of the Year award will go to the Head Start teacher that takes exceptional care of the children at their program, while also possessing an infectious positivity and an outstanding commitment to their colleagues, parents, and community on a daily basis.

Director of the Year

This award will be given to the site director that has proven to be an exceptional leader of their programs and within the field. The Director of the Year inspires their team to do their best work and raises the bar in fostering the development and education of their staff and children.

Program/Grantee of the Year

This award will recognize a program with an outstanding commitment to providing a nurturing and stimulating environment for the children in their care. This program not only excels in care of the children, but also engages their staff and community, creating a welcoming, safe, and fun space for children, teachers, and families.

Emerging Leader

The Emerging Leader award will go to those that demonstrate remarkable capacity to lead their colleagues and drive positive change. Award winners display the ability to inspire others to think boldly and creatively in solving problems and encourage teamwork and collaboration among staff, families, and the greater community.

Innovation Award (Recruitment, Retention, Enrollment)

The winner of this award is a program/grantee that has demonstrated creativity, innovation and success in the areas of staff recruitment and retention, and/or child enrollment. Submissions for this award should describe the strategies or practices used and the results that have been seen.

Emergency Preparedness Award

The Emergency Preparedness Award will go to a teacher, staff member, or site director that has displayed an above and beyond commitment to emergency preparedness at their programs. The awardee will display a strong commitment to keeping the children and staff in their program safe and secure, and inspires others to commit to a culture of preparedness at their site. This award is sponsored by the Institute for Childhood Preparedness.