Background:

In 1994 Kay and Fred Lokoff launched the Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Teacher Awards to honor their daughter Terri who was a devoted childcare teacher. The Awards are designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of outstanding early care and education teachers and bring attention to the critical role these teachers play in the lives of young children.

Early childhood teachers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and on U.S. Military bases and installations around the world are invited to apply.

About the Award:

Up to fifty teachers win each year.

Each award recipient will receive: 

• A $1,000 cash prize
• Opportunity to connect with peers and exchange ideas
• Ongoing professional development and program enrichment opportunities

One teacher will also be selected as the winner of the Helene Marks Award+ and bestowed with the honor of being named National Early Education Teacher of the Year. The Teacher of the Year will receive an additional $1000 cash prize.

The 2022 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards Celebration will be held virtually during the weekend of April 29-30, 2022.

*As of 1/4/22, the Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards will be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

+The Helene Marks Award winner is determined from the Top 10 application scorers of the 50 recipients. Applications are scored from a rubric.

The application deadline has been extended! Applications are now due February 11, 2022. 

Have questions or difficulty with the application? Please contact Jessica Feng, Meetings and Events Coordinator at jessica.feng@firstup.org

Eligibility Requirements:

The following criteria must be met for an application to be considered.

Applicants must:

• Be a full time (minimum of 30 hours per week and a minimum of 10 consecutive months peryear) teacher of children between the ages of birth through pre-kindergarten.
• Be assigned to the same group of children for 10 consecutive months.
• Be currently employed in a family, group, or center-based program that is fully compliant with local and state operating regulations.
• Have been employed full-time in the field of early education for a minimum of 36 consecutive months.

The following conditions will render an applicant ineligible:

• Teacher Award recipients who’ve won the award twice.
• Floaters, substitutes, temporary and part-time teachers.
• Teachers of kindergarten children in early childhood education programs or other settings.
• Teachers of school age children in early childhood education programs. (i.e., before/afterschool programs).
• Administrative Teachers (staff who have administrative responsibilities that prevent them frombeing a full-time teacher.)
• Co-teachers or teaching teams are not eligible to share this award (Only one recipient peraward).
• TLLCCF Child Care Teacher Award winners from 2018 to present.
• Applications completed or modified by anyone other than the applicant (including but notlimited to a grant writer, director, or any administrative staff) are not eligible.

Additional information:

• Only one teacher may be named per application.
• Multi-site agencies may submit applications for each site.
• TLLCCF Child Care Teacher Award winners from 1994 to 2017 may reapply.

PLEASE NOTE: ONLY ONE WINNER PER PROGRAM SITE WILL BE AWARDED, REGARDLESS OF NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED.

Deadline:

Completed applications must be received or postmarked by February 11, 2022. No exceptions will be made.

Application must include the following information:

Part I – Applicant Information – Type answers in the spaces provided on the following pages. 

Part II – Short Answer Questions – Each response should be between 200 and 400 words in length. No Photos.

1. Describe what excites you about your role each day.
2. Tell us about the most challenging part of your day and how you meet that challenge.
3. What do you do to include families in the child’s developmental process?
4. How do you enhance the development and potential of each child in your classroom?
5. How do you celebrate diversity, inclusion, and equality in your classroom?

Part III – Essay – The response should be between 750 and 1500 words in length. No photos.

What do you most want those outside of the field of early childhood education to know about the importance of the work you do with children?

Part V – Required Documentation

Provide the following documents:

• One letter of support from a current parent of a child in the program/classroom.
• One letter of support from Director (if center employee) or Administrator (if affiliated home-based operator).
• One letter of support from a colleague. (Family providers without an administrator or colleague must submit two letters of support from current parents.)
• A copy of the center’s current state license or a current document demonstrating full compliance with local and state regulations for operating child care programs. This document must provide dates of validity. If applicable, a copy of accreditation certificate should be included.
• Listing of calendar days the early education program is closed for the 2021-2022 year. Please include holidays and/or vacation.

NOTE: Other than letters of support, the application must be the work product of the applicant. Applications completed or modified by anyone other than the applicant (grant writer, director, or any administrative staff) are not eligible. By signing the Applicant’s Consent Form the applicant certifies that they have authored the responses. Only applications containing all completed forms and requested materials are considered. Applicants are subject to disqualification if the guidelines listed above are not followed. NO EXCEPTIONS.

All applicants will be notified by mail if they have won by mid-March 2022.

Completed paper applications should be sent to:

First Up
1608 Walnut Street, Suite 300
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Guidelines for Letters of Support:

Applicant’s Name ___________________________________________

The above-named teacher has applied for the Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Award. As part of the selection process, your views help us to assess the teacher’s skills and abilities.

• On one 8-1/2 x 11 page, or in 1500 words or less, please explain how the above named teacher and his/her classroom exemplify the best in quality child care. Please cite specific examples.
• Include the length of time you have known the applicant.
• It is preferable that letters be typed on personal or professional letterhead. Neatly handwritten letters are acceptable. Please include the date written and your signature.

Letters of support are required as they are an integral part of the selection process.

Thank you in advance for helping to support quality child care.

Thank you for your participation,

Marcy K. Bacine

Chair, Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards Committee

APPLICANT INFORMATION

PROGRAM INFORMATION

OTHER INFORMATION

First Up is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Award recipients. Our decisions and preventive measures will be guided by the requirements and recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and federal, state, and local health authorities.

In the event of an in-person awards ceremony, attendance to the awards ceremony is expected, but not mandatory. In the event that we are not able to host an in-person event, we will conduct a virtual event on the same date.

As we move forward in the planning process, we want to hear from you. Please complete the optional survey below. All information collected is for research purposes only and will not be published. Information collected will not be used to determine an applicant’s eligibility or the status of their application.