Exceptional Caregiver Awards
- KIDS AND FAMILY EDUCATION
- FEATURED RECIPIENTS
Exceptional Caregiver Awards
Every year, KCTS 9 announces six exemplary childcare providers chosen by our panel of experts in the field of child development.
2007 Exceptional Caregiver Awards Highlights
Exceptional Caregiver Award Honorees
This award ended in 2010. Below is an archive of past recipients.
- 2010
- 2009
- 2008
- 2007
Ethel & Alan Bell, Steilacoom
Ethel and Alan Bell were nominated by their Child Care Licensor, as Exceptional Caregivers who provide 24/7 child care. They are the founders of the Washington State Child Care Business Leader’s Association (providing MERIT training to home and center providers) and have dedicated numerous volunteer hours to potential licensees and licensed providers to help them meet and exceed the minimum licensing requirements.
Deanne Eikenbary, Yakima
Deanne Eikenbary is a role model and mentor for her fellow teachers at Country Kids Child Development Center in Yakima. A licensed foster parent, she values and advocates for parents. In her position she is able to partner with community agencies to provide staff with exceptional professional development and training She designed and created an infant room from the ground up
Leisha Howard, Seattle
Leisha started at Hutch Kids almost 8 years ago as a part-time student employee. She became a full-time teacher in March 2007. Since then, she has had the opportunity to teach toddlers, preschoolers and now infants. Nominated by three parents from her center, Leisha is described as loving, calm and engaged teacher who brings out the best in the children in her care.
Manuela Slye, Seattle
Manuela Slye was nominated for an Exceptional Caregiver Award by 20 different families in her program! She created the first Spanish emersion preschool in West Seattle, Cometa Playschool. Manuela involves the children in decision making process and music is a big part of the day. She also organizes community lunches and special parent night out evenings for her families.
Karen Szillat, Seattle
Karen Szillat has 18 years of child care experience, the last two at Hutch Kids Child Care Center. She has been described by the families she works with as patient, kind, and passionate about her work. She practices a child-centered, developmentally appropriate curriculum and is well-respected both personally and professionally by her colleagues.
Shay Wirkkala, Vancouver
Shay Wirkkala is an ECEAP Teacher for the SW WA Child Care Consortium, a program of the ESD 112. Nominated by the Director of the program, colleagues and parents, Shay creates a nurturing and caring atmosphere to children in her care. She finds diverse and varied routes to meet the needs of each child and gives them the confidence to try new things.
Christine Askarian, Seattle
Christine Askarian started her own childcare center twenty-three years ago to reach out to help children who could very well be lost and give them an equal opportunity to learn and to have a great beginning. Her hope is that with her instruction academically, emotionally, socially and physically, they will be able to get into advanced programs one day. She believes that every child has potential to change the community and the world. Christine’s dream is that all children be treated equally regardless of their financial back grounds. Her program is based on love and commitment. Christine believes, “Success is in what you do for others. That is why I love to be a childcare provider you see the future through your children’s eyes.”
Kelly Hudson, Everett
Kelly Hudson chose child care as a profession because she wanted to make a difference and was interested in the well being of children and families. She believes that it is important to be there for children who often struggle with hidden social or emotional issues that may go undetected if not focused on between birth and five years of age. It is important to support those children and their families through early challenges so they can be as successful as possible before entering school.
Denise Keegan, Everett
Denise Keegan feels as though the most important part of her work is to be there for the child and to assist him or her through their individual stages. She believes that helping guide them through their emotions and understanding of the world they live in, is vital to their success as part of a social environment. She chose child care as a profession because it’s great to see how children grow and develop during the most critical years of their young lives and the daily rewards that come with it.
Pamela Keeler, Bothell
Pamela Keeler has over thirty years of experience and owns Bothell Bears Daycare. She is dedicated to providing the foundation to encourage each child’s lifelong love of learning in a safe and nurturing environment. One of her numerous nominators says, "The part I like most is every morning we are greeted by Pam with a bright smile. When I leave my daughter I can see the smile on her face and know that she is going to have a great day."
Susan Lynch-Ritchie, Port Angeles
Susan Lynch-Ritchie believes that a big perk of running a home daycare is the opportunity to witness the emergence of human life and consciousness at its beginnings and lend a hand at these most precious and vulnerable stages. Sharing and passing on knowledge, fostering thinking and emotional and social health, as well as the development of skills in the young can give rise to deep satisfactions. It is worthy work and Susan finds grace in caring for children in a home setting.
Sandra VanDoren, Spokane
Sandra VanDoren has dedicated over twenty years of her life to the child care community in Spokane. She extends care to all children, regardless of the level of specialized care they might require. Sandra seems tireless in her efforts to support the betterment of children’s lives, not only in Spokane, but all of Washington State. After her own childcare closes, she begins working as a volunteer for the Eastern Washington Family Childcare Association. She is also the Vice President for SEIU’s Early Learning Division for Washington State, as well as a mentor for other childcare providers needing extra assistance in their own businesses.
Linda Brehmer and Lee Wolf, Seattle
Linda Brehmer and Lee Wolfe are a mother-daughter team who run a mixed-age program called Little People’s Place (LPP) in Seattle. Together they provide a safe and nurturing learning environment by teaching children patience and kindness through play and instruction. Their notable preschool program engages children in extraordinary art projects modeled after Lee’s and Linda’s own love for creativity, as seen in their much praised hand-painted murals adorning the facility. Linda is an active advocate and union member; she is a mentor for child care providers and often delivers trainings to other family child care providers. Linda and Lee honor special milestones in children’s lives with special experiences, such as graduation parties for students moving on to kindergarten—complete with a photo album documenting each child’s growth through their years at LPP. Linda and Lee believe in extension activities, and have taken trips to Seattle Children’s Theatre, Woodland Park Zoo, farms and puppet shows, as well as an annual camping trip in a yurt village.
Barbara Bussa, Tacoma
Barbara Bussa has been a childcare provider for young children in her Tacoma home daycare My Other House since 1994. The three separate families that wrote to nominate her agree that Barbara provides a secure and caring learning environment for the children’s mental, physical and emotional development. In respecting each child’s individuality, she helps them learn at their own pace by providing a variety of structured activates that appeal to all learning styles. Her best practices include: emergency preparedness, where children learn basic safety procedures; daily written reports, where daily notes around every child’s progress and details about activities are sent home; attention to teachable moments, where behavioral expectations are clearly outlined; creative and craft activities, where children make lifelong keepsakes that build upon fine-motor skill development; and parent education, with planned activities with which parents can get involved in their child’s learning.
Nicole Chaudry, Seattle
Nicole Chaudry immigrated to the United States from Germany, where she attended law school and later pursued work in child care. Now in West Seattle, Nicole earned her Child Development Associate (CDA) and is currently pursuing her AA degree in Early Childhood Development. Nicole’s program, EuropaKids Bilingual Learning Center, received nominations from six different families of children in her care. Each acknowledged the success of her multicultural program where children quickly become fluent in German language and culture, and well as learn math, reading, social and personal skills. In addition to providing gymnastics and music classes for nine children, she recently incorporated a Spanish curriculum as well. Her three-year-old family business gets the support of her husband, Benjamin; together, they consider it an extension of their own new family and wish there could be a Parent Award for the parents in their program.
Pamela Keeler, Bothell
Pamela Keeler has over thirty years of experience and owns Bothell Bears Daycare. She is dedicated to providing the foundation to encourage each child’s lifelong love of learning in a safe and nurturing environment. One of her numerous nominators says, "The part I like most is every morning we are greeted by Pam with a bright smile. When I leave my daughter I can see the smile on her face and know that she is going to have a great day."
Jena Inghram, Seattle
Jena Inghram has been a child care provider for over 14 years and currently resides in West Seattle, where she maintains Tiny Tribe, her home-based childcare business comprising four staff members caring for 19 children in infant, toddler and preschool groups. Jena is a member of Puget Sound Association of the Education of Young Children (PSAEYC) and has a BA in Human Services with an emphasis on the young child and social work. Jena received nominations from four different parents who described her as a caregiver who responds to children’s needs using positive discipline strategies and empathy. Children are engaged in a multi-age classroom where they mentor each other and spend time with siblings, as well as pairing off for age-appropriate lessons ranging from numbers to neighborhood demographics and from the human body to the solar system. Additionally, children are a part of the community and often take field trips to the library, pet store and karate lessons, as well as board the public bus for bigger trips, like the Seattle Aquarium.
Marylynn Murphy, Puyallup
Marylynn Murphy of Puyallup has been providing child care out of her home for 50 years. Recently retired, her Loving Start Daycare program fostered generations of families who consider her extended family. Her approach to working with families long-term includes hosting large scale Open Houses twice a year, where over 100 relatives attend and show support for their children’s growth and learning under Marylynn’s care. Marylynn focuses on each child’s social, emotional, academic and physical development, keeping an eye on individual children’s long-range needs. Loving Start Daycare nurtures children’s social-emotional health by modeling important life skills, and their intellectual growth with challenges from geography to French language. Marylynn received nominations from three different families who highlighted her strength for communicating and for supporting children’s positive social-emotional development. With nearly an acre of land and an enormous inside facility, children are encouraged in physical fitness, exploring nature trails and planting in the garden.
Bonnie Senter, Lynnwood
Bonnie Senter has provided care for young children in her Lynnwood home since 1974. Bonnie earned her Child Development Associate (CDA) from Edmonds Community College, her AA from Shoreline Community College in Early Childhood Education, and her BA from University of Washington in History. As a special needs and multi-cultural education advocate, Bonnie cares for children with autism and Downs Syndrome, as well as for many children whose care is subsidized by the state. Bonnie also works with the local school district to coordinate care for children with unique learning styles, and with the Child Care Provider’s Preschool co-op to provide deeper preschool and social experiences for children in her care. To support success in school and in the community, Bonnie offers a variety of experiences and cultural opportunities, including American sign language, Spanish, and cooking, in the daily routine. She is a mentor in the provider community and shares her insight in her monthly contribution to the South Snohomish Child Care Provider newsletter.
Sherry Smiley, Seattle
Sherry Smiley operates a successful home-based childcare program called Every Kid Counts Childcare and Learning Academy which is in the late stages of accreditation with the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Every Kid Counts specializes in care for children with severe behavior and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders, and Sherry’s long-term goal is to develop her center into a Head Start program. Children in her care learn Spanish, about nutrition, and even help prepare their own meals. Professionally, Sherry works to serve the child care community on the Puget Sound Association for the Education of Young Children; as the Public Policy chair for the Washington Association for the Education of Young Children; and as an elected leader in the King County Region for the SEIU Local 925, participating on the bargaining team. She also served on the original steering committee for the White Center Early Learning Initiative, and participates in monthly directors meetings. All this is in addition to providing the highest standard of child care service for every child in her care.
Valencia and Pansy Claxton, Federal Way
Valencia and Pansy Claxton are sisters who run the Wonderland Home Daycare in Federal Way, Washington. The sisters have worked hard to build a warm, caring, loving environment. They also involve additional members of their family in the business. Valencia and Pansy strive to constantly improve their day to day curriculum and activities for the children. They have worked with Child Care Resources consistently over the past two years to enhance the quality of their family child care program. They have worked many hours on material preparation, displays, story time activities, hands –on science curriculum – always with an eye towards expansion to the next level of utilization. They were selected by Child Care Resources to be one of the sites for a Social and Emotional Development child care site for a Child Care Resources program sponsored by The Boeing Company
Mai Thanh Dovinh, Seattle
Mai Thanh Dovinh has been a child care provider in Seattle, Washington for the last 10 years. Mai and her husband James run their family child care business as a team. Mai and James have five children of their own, but still continue to pursue child care as a career because of the joys and challenges it brings. Mai came to the US from Vietnam at 14 with a motivation to succeed. Mai graduated with her AAS Degree in Early Childhood Education from North Seattle Community College in 2003 with honors. Mai has been a Washington Scholar since 2001. She has a passion to work with children and families and to provide them with the best possible learning environment. Mai has been involved with community based trainings, Early Childhood Education conferences, and acts as a mentor to other minority childcare providers. Mai’s continued motivation to achieve her educational goals and contribute to the general quality of child care is an inspiration to all.
Tamra Dschaak, Spokane
Tamra Dschaak runs a family child care business in Spokane, Washington. Tamra became a licensed child care provider eleven and a half years ago and her business has grown to accommodate a combination of full day and before and after school children that keeps her business busy year round. Today, her program is truly a family-run business. Tamra’s husband Jeff helps to support the business as does their son Timothy and daughter Alyssa. With help from the Washington Scholars program, Tamra is currently working towards an Associates of Applied Science degree in early childhood education with a one year certificate in special education. Timothy is also a Washington Scholar. Tamra has participated in many family child care groups and associations, and her goal is to act as a positive mentor and role model for other family providers in her area.
Christy Hawley, Burlington
Christy Hawley has been a licensed family home child care provider in Skagit County for more than fifteen years and currently resides in Burlington, Washington. Christy exhibits incredible patience with all ages of children from preschool to toddlers to school-age. Christy is one of the few in-home programs fortunate to have a covered play area, and her home is on a farm so the children in her care get the unique daily experience of being around farm animals. Christy is involved in the Early Childhood Education program at Skagit Valley College both to continue her education and to borrow resources in order to meet the ever-evolving early learning needs of the children in her care. Christy provides flexibility in meeting parent’s needs and is able to maintain an established foundation for the children to thrive and grow. Christy is a strong advocate for quality children’s programs, care and education in Washington. She maintains good relationships with the schools and local community in Skagit County.
Sharon Mischenko, Marysville
Sharon Mischenko of Marysville, Washington has been providing child care for over 30 years. In 1976, she began working for a childcare center, and in 1982, Sharon received her license to open her own home family childcare. Sharon focuses on the future of childcare, taking initiative to raise the standard for the childcare field in Snohomish County. She is currently the only one out of 537 licensed family childcare providers in the county to have a Certificate of Accreditation for Family Child Care. Sharon also received her Child Development Associate in December 2007. Additionally, she is a Navy Certified Child Development Home Provider. Throughout the years, Sharon has mentored other family childcare providers, setting an example of quality childcare and the importance of professional development. Sharon encourages other providers to further their education in the field and take measures to improve the quality of care they provide. Sharon is dedicated to providing the highest standard of childcare service, and influencing the child care community.
Nora Sandoval, Wenatchee
Nora Sandoval operates Nora’s Childcare in Wenatchee, Washington. Nora and her family immigrated here from Zacateccas in central Mexico eleven years ago. Nora was motivated to earn an income at home after the birth of her first child. She entered Wenatchee Valley College starting with Adult Basic Education courses and worked her way up to college level classes. Next Nora became involved with the Washington Scholarships for Child Care Professionals program which enabled her to pursue Child Development Associates’ coursework in Spanish at Wenatchee Valley College. She is currently working towards an associates’ degree in early childhood education. Her goal is to own her own child care center or work with parents and children in the social work field. Being bilingual allows Nora to provide care to a larger population in Wenatchee which has a large Spanish speaking community. Nora has made significant changes in her business practice as a direct result of her education, and through her dedication continues to improve her child care and work towards her educational goals.
