Nominations for the 2026 Excellence in Early Childhood Awards are now closed.
Stay tuned- we’ll announce our winners in May!
This year, we will honor 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 recognize and honor the vital role of Delaware early care and education professionals in providing high-quality early education experiences to children. The initiative recognizes quality classroom practices and offers opportunities to raise the public’s awareness of the importance of early childhood education as a profession.
Meet our 2026 Review Panel
The dedicated group of professionals thoughtfully reviewing applications and selecting this year’s award recipients:
Rosalyn Washington, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education, University of Delaware
Charley Anderson, Career Advisement Coordinator, Early Childhood Innovation Center at Delaware State University
Lisa Miller, Director of Young Athletes and Healthy Communities, Special Olympics of Delaware
Londyn Hackett, Early Literacy Coach, Nemours Children’s Health
Diane Frentzel, Program Manager, Delaware Readiness Teams
Stacy Morgan, Owner- Little Bit of Sunshine Child Care, 2025 DIEEC Excellence in Early Childhood Award Winner
Ashley Avelleyra, Lead Teacher, Kids Cottage, 2025 DIEEC Excellence in Early Childhood Award Winner
Sarah Holveck, Parent, Human Resources, University of Delaware
DIEEC Excellence in Early Childhood Awards Information
2026 Eligibility and Application Guidelines
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.
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 three 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.
2025 Winners
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.
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In 2019, Ashley started at Kids Cottage as a part-time summer-only assistant. Once she graduated, she returned and continued her journey as a full-time assistant in the pre-kindergarten classroom. Recently, she has been promoted to a full-time lead teacher in the pre-kindergarten classroom.
One of the things Ashley loves most about being a pre-K teacher is that she can have just as much fun as the kids! She is a child at heart and loves interacting with students on their level. Count her in on any activity, whether it’s drawing Baby Yoda or building a magnet tile house for a child’s beloved stuffed animal. Ashley loves witnessing children reach their learning milestones in all developmental areas while having fun every step of the way.
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.
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As an active member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Delaware Association for the Education of Young Children (DEAEYC), Tara continuously looks for opportunities to refine her skills. By attending the NAEYC Annual Conference twice, she fulfilled a longstanding professional goal for herself, providing invaluable knowledge, insights, and strategies to implement in her classrooms. She’s inspired to be part of a community that advocates for the importance of early childhood education and recognizes its vital role in laying the foundation for lifelong learning.
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.
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Being part of the Let’s Go Outside initiative in 2022 has played a massive role in her efforts to create an outdoor learning environment for the children enrolled in her program. She has continued her professional development through DIEEC’s professional learning experiences, attended online webinars, and participated in the 2025 In Bloom conference.
In 2023, she earned her Family Child Care CDA; in 2024, she earned her accreditation in The Hygge in the Early Years. Her future goals include achieving The Curiosity Approach Accreditation, working towards a nature-certified program, and mentoring other early childhood educators.
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.
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Shakira earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Delaware State University, where she first became interested in child development and mental well-being. Over the years, she worked with young children in multiple settings, including St. Michael’s School and Nursery and Head Start of New Castle County, where she served for four years before launching her own program.
In addition to her work with children, Shakira is deeply involved in advocacy and leadership, using her voice to make a meaningful impact in her community. She proudly serves on the DIEEC Early Childhood Educator Leadership Board and is an active member of the Delaware Black Chambers of Commerce..
Looking ahead, Shakira plans to expand her business by transitioning from an in-home daycare to a full-scale early childhood education center. She will continue her mission of providing quality, culturally responsive care and education to even more families in her community.
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.
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Currently, Madison is working with the Indian River School District in Delaware. From fall 2024 to spring 2025, she will utilize Teaching Strategies GOLD (TSG) to track and support pre-K students’ literacy, math, language, physical, and social-emotional growth. Through detailed data analysis, she creates individualized learning experiences to maximize student potential and ensure they meet key developmental milestones.
Madison’s experience extends across various roles in the early childhood field, where she has worked closely with families, educators, and specialists to create tailored educational plans. She is committed to ongoing professional development, continuously refining her skills to support the social, emotional, and academic needs of young children.
2024 Winners
Home-based setting: Kirsten Swift (Little Sprouts – Smyrna, Del.)
Home-based finalists:
Center-based setting: Lindsey Mulvena (St. David’s Episcopal Day School – Wilmington, Del.)
Center-based finalist:
2023 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. Her unique outdoor classroom, nestled in woodland, offers children ample opportunities for nature exploration in a peaceful learning environment.
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She holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Wilmington University and Early Childhood Administrator Certification from Delaware’s Department of Education. Mary lives in Hartly with her husband and children.
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.
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Throughout her college journey and practical hours at DTCC, Meghan’s passion for the field deepened. As an Early Childhood Educator, she is dedicated to nurturing children’s growth and fostering their skills through play-based methods and the resources available both within her center and across the state.
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.
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Stacy’s achievements include being a Let’s Go Outside 2022 participant, and having her academy featured in the Voices From the Field section of DIEEC’s REACH newsletter. She continues her professional development through DIEEC’s professional learning experiences and attending online webinars with We Skoolhouse, Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds, Take Me Outside, and Kristen RB Peterson. Stacy earned her Family Child Care CDA in June 2023 and is working on her Hygge in The Early Years accreditation.
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.
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Beyond the classroom, she collaborates with high schoolers in the pathway program, bridging the gap between early childhood and secondary education. Through her passion for creating inclusive and engaging learning environments, Caitlin remains committed to shaping the educational journeys of both young children and teenagers, leaving a profound impact on their learning experiences.
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
