OCAEYC 2021 Awards & Grants
Applications were due February 21, 2021 and are no longer being accepted. If you have questions please email us.
Play Matters
Grant
This grant is for an ECE professional who supports play-based learning in the classroom or at their center. Awardee will specify how they support play and how they use play as a base for learning. The$300 is to be used for classroom enhancement or further training on the importance of play.
Advocacy Matters
Grant
This grant is for an ECE professional who supports advocacy in the field. Awardee will specify how they advocate for the profession and how they plan to continue to support advocacy. The $300 is to be used for continued professional development geared towards advocacy.
Education Matters
Grant
This grant is for an ECE professional who is enrolled in a college degree course (AA/AS or BA/BS) in the field of Early Childhood. The $300 is to be used for college expenses,tuition, or books. Proof of enrollment in higher education required.
Awards
Four Awards Available
Outstanding ECE professional or program. – The Outstanding early childhood education professional or program* is an individual or entity nominated by their peer(s) that strives to support the core values of the Orange County Association for the Education of Young Children(OCAEYC).
These individuals/programs go above and beyond what is normally required of themselves and their work to ensure that all children, families, and communities have equitable access to developmentally appropriate high quality early learning. These individuals/programs align with one or more of the OCAYEC core values; 1) support professionals working with children birth-eight, 2)advocate high standards of and improve working conditions in programs for young children, 3) promote public understanding of issues effecting children and families, 4) keep informed of and collaborate with other groups concerned with the welfare and education of young children,and 5) strive to build a strong diverse and inclusive organization.
*Administrators/Director (outstanding program) and Nominees(outstanding professionals) must be current member to qualify
Take a look at our 2020 awardees!
Thank you to everyone who applied for OCAEYC Grants and/or nominated people for Outstanding Professionals and Programs this year. We had over 87 people apply for awards and grants this year! The awards and grants committee are honored to recognize the following awardees for 2020.
Grant Awardees:
Each awardee will receive $300 to support the grant they applied for, as well as an OCAEYC Standard Membership.
Outstanding Professional and/or Program Awardees:
Each awardee will receive a certificate of recognition and paid registration for the 2021 OCAEYC Conference.
Play Matters
Collette McClellan, Saddleback College Child Development Center
Education Matters
Ingrid Cabrera,
Garden Grove School District
Advocacy Matters
The LBGTQ Center OC
Outstanding Professional
Joan Lundbohm,
Director Our Saviors Preschool in San Clemente
Outstanding Professional-Dr. Seema Choudhary, Director/Owner of Montessori Preschool in Irvine & Lake Forest
Outstanding Program
Orange Coast College (OCC) Lab School
The Early Childhood Lab School serves as a teacher demonstration site and works in collaboration with the Early Childhood Education (ECE) department at OCC. Lab School teachers implement an emergent curriculum and create Reggio Emilia inspired classroom settings. Teachers utilize the California Preschool Learning Foundations and Frameworks on a daily basis.
In April 2020, Distance Learning became a new reality for the Lab School community as a whole. The teachers had no hesitation during this time. Remote learning was foreign, yet they stepped up and developed "at home learning plans". Zoom calls are being held two times a week to keep children and families connected. Curriculum plans are sent out to parents weekly and pictures of children engaged in learning are posted on different media accounts for all to see.
This program meets the criteria for Outstanding ECE Program because of its model to provide a “lab” for hands-on real-world experience for ECE students and the Lab School teachers who educate not only our youngest learners, but college students and parents.