Helping children realize their full potential is a critically important task. Those who do it well display an understanding of children, passion for their work, creativity and more. To encourage on-going efforts to improve child care quality, the Council established the Cathryn A. Riley Innovation for Quality Prize in 2016, named after a former member of the Council’s team who made a lasting impact not only on the Council but also the field statewide.
We thank all the applicants and wish that we could fund every great idea. We are pleased to announce the following 6 awards:
Briarcliff Nursery School: Connecting Through Nature: Enhancing an Outdoor Community Space
An existing “side yard” will be transformed into a lovely space for play, gardening, and family gatherings.
Bumble Bees Family Daycare: Outdoor Exploration Space
New elements (mud kitchen, water play equipment) will be introduced in the backyard to expand outdoor learning activities.
Discovery Village: Outdoor Classroom
An outdoor kitchen, art easel, water runway and seating will be added to extend outdoor learning.
Kidz on the Go Family Daycare: Outdoor Exploration Space
New elements (mud kitchen, water play equipment) will be introduced in the backyard to expand outdoor learning activities.
My Children’s Day Care: Outdoor Science
With a new sandbox and basic science materials, the children will be introduced to exciting new experiments.
Tarrytown Nursery School: Early Childhood Yoga and Mindfulness
A new yoga program will promote social, emotional and physical well-being in addition to improved attention skills.
If you would like to support the Council’s efforts to promote quality early learning experiences and innovation in the field, please contact Kathy Halas, Executive Director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
