In February 2007, The Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation (TLLCCF) announced that Teri Aldrich, a preschool teacher at Heartland Programs in Salina, Kansas was selected to receive the Foundation’s top honor – the Helene Marks Award™ as the National Child Care Teacher of the Year™. Aldrich was one of the top ten scorers for the Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children’s TYLENOL® National Child Care Teacher Awards™, and was invited to answer an additional essay question to qualify for the top honor. Aldrich received her award formally at the awards ceremony on April 9, 2008 in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The combined award for both honors was $2,000, a portion of which will benefit Heartland Programs.

Aldrich initiated her career in early childhood education when she began working as a full time paraeducator for Heartland Programs. After working for 3 ½ years, Kansas State University offered Aldrich the opportunity to return to college. She began working on her Early Childhood Degree in January 1998 while working full time with Heartland Programs. She was later able to student teach in the same room where she had worked as a paraeducator.

The Kansas Fatherhood Coalition recently sponsored the 6th Annual Statewide Kansas Fatherhood Summit in Kansas City, KS. This year’s theme was “Fathers for a New Generation: Involved for a Better Tomorrow.” Summit participants were inspired, motivated, and challenged by keynote speakers, panelists, and breakout presenters to take care of themselves so they can be supporters and encouragers of fathers.

Keynote speaker D.J. “Eagle Bear” Vanas used the example of flight attendants instructing parents to put on their own oxygen mask before helping their children to describe how we can’t help anyone if we are incapacitated. Keynote speaker Ron Willis was straightforward in saying that most of us are doing too much and that we need to prune our lives. In order to be effective advocates of healthy father involvement in the lives of children, we must take care of ourselves and each other!