I wanted to share the following news regarding the “Third Annual National Child Care Providers Awards Ceremony.” My family appreciates the free and educational programs that KCET provides and produces and I was personally excited to read about the awards ceremony. Child care providers play a crucial role for my family. I did not have the opportunity to stay at home with my daughter and I know many families are in the same situation. I returned to work when Teagan was 7 months old. Fortunately, we had a good referral and found someone who was reasonably priced and a good fit for our daughter. Our child care provider played a big role in Teagan’s young life. We’re very luck to have found someone who was dedicated to the welfare of the children she took into her home.
Please visit www.aplaceofourown.org and www.losninosensucasa.org to learn more about A Place of Our Own and Los Ninos en Su Casa. This is a wonderful site with a tremendous amount of resources for child care providers and parents.
Members of Congress joined PBS Stations KCET and WETA in the “Third Annual National Child Care Providers Awards Ceremony”:
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 21, 2010 – Seventeen outstanding child care providers were recognized for their commitment and dedication to providing outstanding quality child care at the “Third Annual National Child Care Providers Awards Ceremony” held today on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
The ceremony was presented by public television stations KCET (Los Angeles) and WETA (Washington, D.C.) and the award winning PBS informational series A Place of Our Own and Los Niños en Su Casa. The ceremony recognized the important role that child care providers play in raising pre-school age children and preparing them for Kindergarten. Members of Congress, including Congressmen Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Harry Teague (D-NM) and Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D-CA), helped present awards. PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger spoke at the event.
“We are very pleased to honor these outstanding child care providers who have dedicated their life’s work to teaching and providing quality care to young children,” said Al Jerome, KCET president and Chief Executive Officer. “We are proud of these special people who play such an important role in children’s lives and pleased that A Place of Our Own and Los Ninos en Su Casa can support them in this important responsibility of helping to prepare young children to succeed in school.”
Child Care Providers Recognized Nationally “KCET and PBS stations throughout the country are proud to be part of a series that helps assist child care providers in carrying out their important responsibilities of caring for our communities’ most precious resources.”
The 17 national child care providers were all selected as “Caregivers of the Week” by public broadcasting stations in their area. They have been profiled on the programs as well as on the shows’ websites at www.aplaceofourown.org and www.losninosensucasa.org.
The seventeen national honorees are:
Luz Angelica Schuitt of Anchorage, AK
Carmina Mariscal of Green Valley, AZ
Lisa Weidknecht of Pflugerville, TX
Marcia Ahrens of Lakewood, CA
Diana Cataffo of Castle Rock, CO
Melbert Johnson of Washington D.C.
Regina Osborn of Panama City, FL
Natalie Kanaby of Lafayette, IN
Marnetta Larrimer of Bossier City, LA
Debra Walker of Bowie, MD
Nancy Mancha of Las Cruces, NM
Rosanna Nevells of Staten Island, NY
Maya Thomas-Bey of Cleveland, OH
Tonya Fetzer of Lucasville, OH
Nicole Chaudry of Seattle, WA
Laura Patino, Houston, TX
Ruth Williams of Laramie, W
KCET launched A Place of Our Own and its Spanish-language companion, Los Niños en Su Casa in September of 2004 striving to meet the needs of child care providers. The two daily talk shows are devoted to the needs of caregivers, providing practical advice and tips dealing with issues such as discipline, education, nutrition, relationships, and more. The shows are produced at KCET and air nationwide on local PBS stations.
The two shows have been recognized with several national and local awards, including a Peabody, Parent’s Choice, and Emmy. Major funding for “A Place of Our Own” and “Los Niños en Su Casa” comes from BP, First 5 California, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. For more information check your local listing, or, visit www.aplaceofourown.org and www.losninosensucasa.org.
Meet the seventeen national honorees on the A Place of Our Own YouTube page: www.youtube.com/user/APlaceofOurOwn
ABOUT KCET
On-air, online and in the community, KCET plays a vital role in the cultural and educational enrichment of Southern and Central California. More than four million viewers watch KCET in the average month. KCET is the most-watched PBS station in Southern California and the second most-watched public television station in the nation. National PBS series produced from the station’s Hollywood studios include Sid the Science Kid, four-time NAACP Award winner Tavis Smiley and the Peabody Award-winning series A Place of Our Own and Los Ninos en Su Casa, series for caregivers of young children.
Other KCET productions for PBS have included School: The Story of American Public Education, narrated by Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep; American Family, the first primetime drama to feature an all-Hispanic cast; The First Year, a documentary about five beginning teachers in the Los Angeles public school system; Storytime, a series aimed at getting young children interested in stories and books; and Puzzle Place, a single comedy/drama storyline featuring a multiethnic cast of puppets who helped children learn about sharing, decision making, and other daily encounters in a child’s life.
Throughout its more than 40-year history, KCET has won hundreds of major awards for its local and regional news and public affairs programming, its national drama and documentary productions, its quality educational family and children’s programs, its outreach and community services, and its Web site, kcet.org. KCET is a donor-supported community institution. More than half of the funds raised to support KCET’s operating budget come from individual support. For additional information about KCET productions, Web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit www.kcet.org.
* We did not receive any form of compensation for this post. This information was provided to us and we’re sharing it with our readers.
12 comments
Thanks for sharing! Child Care providers play such a huge role in many children’s lives and this is such a great way to honor them. I checked out the website and found some very good and useful tips that I can use at home =)
Wow, this is fantastic. I am so thrilled to see that there is an organization like this, because child care is so very important to so very many of us. The balance between quality and cost can be so very fragile. Congratulations to all of the winners – I’m happy to see one from my home state of Indiana! I’m also beyond thrilled to see that there is a Spanish version as well – kudos to this organization and those people who support it. Very well done.
WOW. That is really cool and thanks for sharing. Good child care is hard to find these days so it is awesome these people are being reconized for there hard work and dedication!
What a great article! I do childcare in my home, so it’s nice to see those recognized who do an amazing job!
Very cool. Child care is so important – I know, I’ve had to use it too. Thanks for sharing the article!
It’s wonderful to see those who care for children being recognized. Too often we hear too much of the negative and not enough of the positive. It makes me happy to know that there are outstanding childcare providers out there and that they are being rewarded for their dedication.
Thanks for sharing. It’s so hard to find good child care services and there is really no way to tell which one is good – this will help
That’s nice that they offer resources for parents looking for child care providers.
WOW!! Great job on this article. Childcare providers are very important in the role of so many children. We honor teachers, but never them. Kuddos!
I know how hard it can be to find a good daycare provider. Thanks for sharing.
This sounds like a wonderful program. Fortunately, I am able to stay at home with my son, but I cannot imagine how hard it would be to find a child care provider that I trusted.
That is SO cool! Thank you for sharing this. 🙂