Governor Lynch and Three Commissioners Come Together to Honor the 2007 Excellence in Child Care Award Winners Early Learning NH is pleased to announce that the 2007 Excellence in Child Care Awards were presented to Sara Paige West from the UNH Child Study and Development Center in Durham, Olga and Ken Gruenbaum from Sunflower Child Care in Claremont, and Suzanne L'Heureux from the NH Community College Child Care Center at Berlin. The distinguished list of winners represents the best in the field of early childhood education, and each earned their award for their outstanding dedication and professionalism.
Tom Raffio, Early Learning NH President and CEO of Northeast Delta Dental, opened the ceremony at The Tuck Library in Concord by introducing Governor Lynch, "We want to thank Governor Lynch for using his bully pulpit to stress the importance of the early years and how quality early learning opportunities lay a strong foundation for our children's future learning." Governor Lynch elicited cheers from the crowd when he told them that early learning will be even more important in the coming years.
Commissioner Lyonel Tracy of the NH Department of Education emphasized that, because children are born learning, we must all work together to ensure every child has the opportunity to reach his or her full potential. Acting Commissioner Nicholas Toumpas of the NH Department of Health and Human Services thanked the crowd for their hard work and collaboration with the Department to ensure that our current state budget provides families with more realistic assistance to afford the child care they need to keep working. Commissioner Richard Brothers of the NH Department of Employment Security pointed out that nothing is more important to the future of the State of New Hampshire than a sound investment in its youngest citizens.
Ken and Olga Gruenbaum were lauded as "a valuable and treasured resource in Claremont" by their local child care resource and referral specialist. A colleague of Sara Paige West commended her as "one of the most dedicated and hardest-working teachers with whom I have ever had the opportunity to work." Suzanne L'Heureux, according to her director, is "the most flexible, dependable, caring and nurturing teacher that has passed through our doors."
Jackie Cowell, Early Learning NH's executive director, described the Excellence in Child Care Awards as a great event, one in which the early childhood profession is elevated to the level of honor and respect it deserves.
