2025 DIEEC Excellence in Early Childhood Award Winners Announced!

We are honored to celebrate the 2025 DIEEC Excellence in Early Childhood Award winners and runners-up—educators who go above and beyond to support young children’s learning and development.

Special thanks to our sponsors at Lakeshore Learning, Becker’s School Supplies, Discount School Supply, Early Childhood Innovation Center, and Delaware Association for the Education of Young Children for their generous contributions in support of this year’s awards.

Meet the Center-Based Classroom Educator Award Winner and Runner-Up

Ashley Avelleyra

Kids Cottage

Center-Based Classroom Educator Winner

Before joining Kids Cottage, Ashley Avelleyra attended Towson University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. Throughout her experience, she interned in various classroom settings, ranging from three-year-olds to second grade. However, she knew pre-kindergarten was where she belonged.

Tara Chetty

St. David’s Episcopal Day School

Center-Based Classroom Educator Runner-Up

Tara Chetty graduated from Millersville University with a B.S. in Elementary Education and a concentration in early childhood, but has had a profound passion for early childhood education. In her 21 years of classroom experience, Tara has always strived to adapt her teaching to the needs and interests of her class, ensuring that every child feels valued and engaged.

Meet the Family Child Care Educator Award Winner and Runner-Up

Stacy Morgan

Little Bit of Sunshine Nature Learning Academy

Family Child Care Educator Winner

Stacy Morgan is the founder of the Little Bit of Sunshine Nature Learning Academy, which she established in 1995 after leaving a career in banking. She’s passionate about creating a nurturing, nature-based, and play-based learning environment. Stacy has spent over 30 years developing a space that supports the five key areas of child development and nurtures strong relationships with the children and their families.

Shakira Waples

Next Generation Childcare

Family Child Care Educator Runner-Up

Originally from New Jersey and now rooted in Delaware, Shakira Waples has dedicated over a decade to the field of early child care. She’s the proud owner of Next Generation Childcare, a licensed in-home program in New Castle, Delaware. She designed Next Generation Childcare as a nurturing space that combines comfort, home-based care with the structure and quality of a center-based setting, ensuring love, learning, and high standards come together every day.

Meet the Early Career Educator Award Winner

Madison Hogsten

Indian River Early Learning Center

Early Career Educator Winner

Madison Hogsten is a passionate and dedicated early childhood educator who focuses on fostering growth and development in young learners. With a background in both general and special education, she brings a comprehensive approach to early childhood education. She holds a certification in Special Education, which allows her to support diverse learners and create inclusive, nurturing environments where all children thrive.

DIEEC Excellence in Early Childhood Awards Information

A Fresh Look and an Exciting New Award

Celebrating Excellence, Honoring Dedication

A fresh look and an exciting new award!

The DIEEC Educator of the Year Awards are back with a new name and an exciting new addition! This year, we’re honoring outstanding early childhood professionals in three categories:

  • Center-Based Classroom Educator – Honors an outstanding classroom educator working in a licensed early childhood center.
  • Family Child Care Educator – Recognizes a dedicated educator operating a licensed family child care program.
  • Early Career Educator – Celebrates an emerging professional making a meaningful impact early in their career.

The DIEEC Excellence in Early Childhood Awards acknowledge and honor exceptional Delaware professionals who exemplify the highest standards in early care and education. Our mission is to elevate the importance of the early childhood education profession in the public eye by celebrating those who go above and beyond to support young children’s learning and development. View the DIEEC Excellence in Early Childhood Awards Guide for full details of the award process.

Nominations for the DIEEC Excellence in Early Childhood Awards are now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination. We’re so grateful for your time and thoughtful recognition of

Eligibility Criteria

ALL nominees must be educators of children ages birth through pre-kindergarten in a program with a current OCCL license in the state of Delaware.

Center-Based and Family Child Care Educators Must:

Be an educator of children between the ages of birth through pre-kindergarten.

AND 

Be either: 

A full-time lead or assistant classroom educator/family child care educator (minimum of 30 hours worked per week) employed for a minimum of 18 months in one child care facility/program that operates full day. 

OR

A lead or assistant classroom educator/family child care educator (minimum of 15 hours worked per week) employed for a minimum of 18 months in one child care facility/program that operates part-day.

For full details of the award process, please view the DIEEC Excellence in Early Childhood Awards Guide.

Para todos los detalles del proceso, consulte la guía de los premios a la excelencia en la primera infancia de DIEEC.

Early Career Educators Must:

Be an educator of children between the ages of birth through pre-kindergarten.

Be currently employed in a family, large family, center-based program, or school-based early childhood program that fully complies with OCCL regulations.

 

AND

Have been a paid early childhood intern, assistant teacher, or lead teacher for no more than two years and work 30 hours per week in a program that operates full-day OR at least 15 hours per week in a program that operates part-day.

For full details of the award process, please view the DIEEC Excellence in Early Childhood Awards Guide.

Para todos los detalles del proceso, consulte la guía de los premios a la excelencia en la primera infancia de DIEEC.


Meet this Year’s Panelists

2025 DIEEC Excellence in Early Childhood Awards Panelists

Patti Lynch, Independent Consultant, Early Care and Education Profession

Patti Lynch boasts over thirty-five years of active involvement in early childhood education, serving in roles such as classroom teacher, curriculum coordinator, coach, mentor, professional development facilitator, and technical assistant.

Lisa Miller, Executive Director, Delaware Association for the Education of Young Children (deaeyc)

Lisa started working at an educational publisher, using her English degree to create literacy workbooks and manipulative materials for high school curricula. Years later, while teaching English at Delaware Technical Community College, she began to understand the impact of early learning experiences on literacy.

Lynn Worden, Associate Professor, University of Delaware

Lynn Worden is an Associate Professor at UD in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, having been a faculty member since 2002 and serving as the Early Childhood Education (ECE) program coordinator for 20 years.

Jill Kortright Wood, Program Quality Assessment Supervisor, Pennsylvania Key (PA Key)

Jill Kortright Wood is a Program Quality Assessment Supervisor for Keystone STARS, Pennsylvania’s ECE quality system. Initially engaged through networking discussions on statewide quality initiatives, Jill now leads her team in the Delaware Valley and oversees Pennsylvania’s implementation of the Environment Rating Scales.

Diane Frentzel, Program Manager, Delaware Readiness

Diane serves as the Program Manager of Delaware Readiness teams, facilitating collaboration among families, educators, schools, and communities to prepare children ages birth to 8 for success in school and beyond. With extensive experience, including tenure as a child care director at Bright Horizons, Diane brings leadership to statewide initiatives.

Mary Waters, 2024 Family Child Care Winner

With over 15 years of experience, Mary Waters provides exceptional early learning at Ms. Mary’s Nature Preschool in Hartly. Mary has merged her passion for early childhood education and her love of nature to create a unique home-based preschool where children thrive as learners as they connect with nature.

Meghan Eudy, 2024 Center-Based Winner

Meghan Eudy is employed at the Delaware Technical and Community College (DTCC) Child Development Center in Georgetown. Her tenure with DTCC began in 2009 while she was pursuing her degree in Early Childhood Education.

Spotlight on Past Winners

Celebrating excellence through the years

2024 Winners

Mary Waters, Family Child Care Winner

With over 15 years of experience, Mary Waters provides exceptional early learning at Ms. Mary’s Nature Preschool in Hartly. Mary has merged her passion for early childhood education and her love of nature to create a unique home-based preschool where children thrive as learners as they connect with nature.

Meghan Eudi, Center-Based Winner

Meghan Eudy is employed at the Delaware Technical and Community College (DTCC) Child Development Center in Georgetown. Her tenure with DTCC began in 2009 while she was pursuing her degree in Early Childhood Education.

Stacy Morgan, Family Child Care Runner-Up

Stacy Morgan is the founder of the Little Bit of Sunshine Nature Learning Academy, which she established in 1995 after leaving a career in banking. With a passion for creating a nurturing, nature-based learning environment, Stacy has spent over 29 years fostering a space that supports the physical, emotional, and educational growth of children.

Cailtin Gibbons, Center-Based Runner-Up

Caitlin Gibbons is an early childhood educator with eight years of experience in preschool education, including two years at the Odessa High School Pre-K Lab. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Delaware, Caitlin is dedicated to nurturing young minds and fostering a love for learning.

2023 Winners

Home-based setting: Kirsten Swift (Little Sprouts – Smyrna, Del.)

Center-based setting: Lindsey Mulvena (St. David’s Episcopal Day School – Wilmington, Del.)


2022 Winners

Home-based setting: Rhondalin Cannon-Tingle (Rhonda’s Little Angels Daycare and Preschool, Seaford), pictured on the right

Center-based setting: Colleen Millman (Delaware Technical & Community College Child Development Center, Georgetown), pictured on the left