New Port Richey Child-Care Teacher Receives National Honors

A New Port Richey resident is the recipient of a national award for her exemplary work as an early child-care education teacher.

Carole Caffentzis, a teacher at A Caterpillar Preschool and Childcare in New Port Richey, was selected to receive the 2013 Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children’s Tylenol National Child Care Teacher Award. Caffentzis will receive an award of $1,000 on Thursday, April 11 at 8 p.m. at a special ceremony at Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia.

With her grant, Caffentzis will implement her project, "Caterpillars' Nature Tracks."

“Bringing nature to young children and helping to create the awe and wonder that nature provides is what my project is designed to do," she said. "There will be three new animal habitats in the back play yard. One of the habitats will be for worms, one for birds, a garden for butterflies and a series of wild animal tracks on our path. Along with the animal tracks, I will also add the footprints of children in my care as a reminder that we all walk side by side with nature and need to take care of what God has given to us"

Caffentzis said there will be an artificial rock for the children to sit upon for story time. 

"It will also be a nice place to just sit and daydream or watch the clouds float by," she said. "I will also incorporate a dry river rock bed; and in and of itself it will be a work of art. This project incorporates valuable lessons using all five senses while enjoying the beauty of nature.”

Dating back to 1994, the program has presented 739 awards totaling more than $700,000 to early care education teachers and providers for their dedication and excellence.

For more details, click here.

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