Nominate them by June 15 for an Endowed Scholarship
Collaborative for Children is seeking nominations for an outstanding early educator to be considered as the recipient of its annual The Elsie Samuels Early Childhood Educator Excellence Award. The award honors an area teacher who works with children 0-5 years of age, exhibiting an exemplary commitment to educating a diverse population of young learners. Other requirements include that the early childhood educator must work at a child care center; be the teacher of record in a classroom that serves children 0-5 years old; must hold a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, Montessori certification, associate’s or bachelor’s degree; and must have at least three years of classroom experience.
Online applications for the endowed scholarship are being collected until June 15, 2021. To nominate a teacher, visit the Collaborative for Children website and click Resources for Educators/Elsie-Samuels-Early-Educator Award/.
“Teachers are often one of the greatest influencers on a young child’s mind,” remarked Dr. Melanie Johnson, President and CEO of Collaborative for Children. “Teachers have a profound ability to help shape a child’s future. That is why we focus considerable resources on professional development to ensure that these early influencers have great training and likewise are recognized for the inspiration they provide our youngest learners,” stressed Johnson.
Doris Menchaca, a pre-school teacher at Houston Kidz Academy and the winner of The Elsie Samuels Early Childhood Educator Excellence Award in 2020, recalls one of her early teachers who helped her get through so much early in life. “It’s everything,” said Menchaca on having a great teacher. “She would say ‘you got this’ and I knew I could do anything,” said Menchaca.
About Elsie Samuels and The Elsie Samuels Early Childhood Educator Excellence Award Elsie Samuels was a preschool teacher at Houston’s Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center, Congregation Emanu El, and Congregation Beth Israel. Samuels also taught kindergarten in the Houston Independent School District, where she was assigned to a classroom with Spanish-speaking students. Although she did not speak Spanish, Samuels believed in the value of each individual and aimed to make every child feel special and important.
The Elsie Samuels Early Childhood Educator Excellence Award is supported by her daughter-in-law and son, Bobbi, and the late Vic Samuels, of Houston.
To learn more about the work of Collaborative for Children, visit collabforchildren.org.
