February 2013 - Southern Early Childhood Association

SOUTHERN EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSOCIATION
February 2013
Volume 8: Issue 1
What’s Happening at SECA
Inside this issue:
2013 SECA Award
Winners
2
Tee Off for SECA!
2
Recognizing Excellence: 3
The 2013 Award Winners
2013 SECA Exemplary
Outdoor Classroom
4
PLANT YOUR
INVITATION!
The SECA conference is
known for hospitality and fun
times and we make an effort
to do something special and
unexpected each year. This
year, in homage to our conference theme, Hand-inHand: Children and Nature,
we’ve included something
special on your invitation to
the tea party with Nancy.
You’ll find a paper teapot
attached to the invitation in
your registration packet...it’s
seed paper, so take it home
and plant it. Let your children
watch it grow!
It’s Almost Time! See you in Mobile
For those of us in the SECA
office, it’s beginning to feel
like our annual conference is
almost here! We’re entering
registration, preparing packets, confirming logistics with
the hotel and working hard
to make sure your conference experience is a productive and “fun” one!
As usual, we have keynoters
who can provide you with the
latest in information but we
also have many, many
talented and experienced
presenters from around the
SECA region who will be
thought provoking and informative. Did you know
that SECA has approximately
100 presenters at each conference...presenters who come
from every state in the SECA
region and around the country?
We will also have a great vendor
area….the booths are sold out
and we’ll have many fine
resources available for you to
review.
Because we’re in a truly
“Southern” state, we’ve added
some fun things to the agenda,
such as “Tea with Nancy” that
will also feature an appearance
by the Azalea Trail Maids.
(These girls represent the city of
Mobile and surrounding area
and appear in period costumes, hoop skirts and hats
that you would have seen on
any Southern plantation last
century.)
We’re also saluting our state
affiliate AAYC, for reinventing
itself over the last two years
and we hope you’ll join us to
help them celebrate!
Check out the next 3 pages
for more information.
Tea with Nancy at Conference!
One of President
Nancy Cheshire’s favorite things to do is
to relax with a good
cup of tea. We’ve
scheduled a special
tea time on Friday
and invite you to join
Nancy for some tea,
socializing and networking. You’ll find
an invitation in your
registration packet.
Take home a photo
with the Azalea Trail
Maids!
fun picture home!
The Azalea Trail Maids
of Mobile
Page 2
What’s Happening at SECA
The 2013 SECA Award Recipients
Each year, SECA presents
awards that are designed to
recognize exemplary efforts on
behalf of SECA and the children and families of the South.

Outstanding Member—
This award recipient is
selected based on his/her
record of service to SECA,
the state affiliate and the
local affiliate.

President’s Award—A
state rotational system
designates one SECA state
each year to select an outstanding state advocate for
children and families for
recognition through the
SECA President’s Award.

Friend of Children—SECA
recognizes national advocates each year through
this award. Past recipients
of the award include Hillary
Clinton, Dr. T. Berry Brazelton and Marlo Thomas.
of San Antonio was selected by
the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children
(TAEYC) as the 2013 recipient.
Ana is a full-time Assistant
Professor of Early Childhood
Studies at San Antonio College
and is active on the Texas Early
Learning Council.
2013 Friend of Children
2013 Outstanding Member
Suzanne Gellens began her career in the field as a classroom
teacher and currently serves as
the Executive Director of the
Florida Association for the Education of Young Children
(FLAEYC). She served as President of SECA from 19971999.
2013 President’s Award
Ana De Hoyos O’Connor
Alonzo Mourning, a
former NBA basketball
star, has chosen in his
retirement from the
sport to “empower
and enrich” at-risk
children through the creation of
Alonzo Mourning Charities in
Florida.
Congratulations to all
our 2013 award winners! We are indeed
fortunate to have such
outstanding leaders.
Tee Off for SECA!
If you’re a little more oriented
toward a sport than a tea party,
we’ve got a companion activity
going on in the same location.
We’ll have a putting green and
Arnold Palmers (drinks of tea
and lemonade) available to
those who prefer a more active
tea time!
You can putt for free or donate
$1 to see who makes the most
putts. At the end of the social,
we’ll see how much we made
from putters, determine who
was the best and donate the
funds collected to the early
childhood program of the winners choice.
It’s all in fun….who knows, you
might be the next champion
putter?! See you in Mobile!
Page 3
Recognizing Excellence in the SECA States: The 2013 SECA Award Recipients
2013 Marian B. Hamilton
Recipients
The Marian B. Hamilton recipients are selected each year by
designated states on a rotational basis, and the award is
designed to support exemplary
early childhood projects.
Three states are eligible to
select a recipient each year.
Kentucky
Audubon Area Head Start
The Reggio Emilia Installation in
Kentucky
Georgia
C.R. Chisholm
Hands are Not for Hitting
Project
Florida
Anthony McKinney &
Jennifer Barrera
Follow Us & Like Us Affiliate
Social Media Project
Joy Deal of Georgia is the recipient of the 2013 award. This
award is presented each year to a
recipient who has worked diligently to promote quality schoolage and out-of-school time programs. Joy is the Program Administrator for Statesboro-Bulloch
County Parks and Recreation Department and oversees nine afterschool programs and a large
summer camp.
Mississippi. She will be a featured speaker in Mobile for our
special event, Just for Students!
2013 Helen Harley
Scholarship Recipients
Adrien Wright is a Child Development Teacher, Oklahoma
City Community College Child
Development/Lab School and
serves as the ECAO Secretary.
The Helen Harley Scholarships
are awarded by designated
states to a state leader to support
his/her attendance at the SECA
conference and to recognize their
contributions at the state level.
Mississippi
2013 Rich Scofield Award
Joan
Elder (left) is the Preschool Coordinator for the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson,
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Dr. Marilyn Izzard
is a community
servant, student
mentor and advocate of quality education. She is currently the Director
of the University of South Carolina Upstate Teacher Education
programs on the USC/Sumter
Campus.
Congratulations!
2013 SECA Board of Directors
Nancy Cheshire (WV), President
Southern Early Childhood Association
Kathy Attaway (KY), President Elect
1123 South University, Ste 255
Little Rock, AR 72204
Richard Hardison, AL State Representative
PO Box 55930
Joanna Grymes, AR State Representative
Little Rock, AR 72215-5930
Phone: 800-305-SECA
Sister Roberta Bailey, FL State Representative
Fax: 501-227-5297
Anita Dailey, GA State Representative
E-mail: info@southernearlychildhood.org
Maureen O’Brien, KY State Representative
A Voice for Southern Children!
Cindy Ramagos, LA State Representative
Beverly Peden, MS State Representative
We’re on the web!
Marti Nicholson, OK State Representative
www.SouthernEarlyChildhood.org
Crystal Campbell, SC State Representative
2013 Executive Committee
Lisa Maddox-Vinson, TN State Representative
Mary Jamsek ,TX State Representative
Nancy Cheshire, President
Susan Barnes, VA State Representative
Kathy Attaway, President Elect
Sister Roberta Bailey, Fiscal Officer
Melissa Smith, WV State Representative
Mary Jamsek, Secretary
Carol Montealegre (FL), Member-at-Large
What’s Happening at SECA is written and produced bi-monthly
by the Executive Director of SECA.
Interested persons may sign up for free access
to the newsletter at www.southernearlychildhood.org.
Floyd Creech (SC), Member-at-Large
Go to the SECA website for e-mail addresses for the Board.
2013 SECA Exemplary Outdoor Classroom
To honor our theme for the 2013
Conference, Hand-in-Hand:
Children and Nature, SECA
launched a search for exemplary
outdoor classrooms in the Southern region. One overall winner
was selected and winners at the
state level were also designated.
SECA is pleased to introduce
you to our 2013 Exemplary Outdoor Classroom. Located in
Chattanooga, Tennessee at
Highland Plaza United
Methodist Preschool,
it’s truly an example of
the best of outdoor
spaces for young children. Through innovation, vision and just
plain hard work, the
staff and parents at
Highland Plaza have
created a magical and
educational space for young
children.
Look for an article with lots of
photos in the next issue of
Dimensions of Early Childhood.
Enjoy!