Awards
ECEBC has a number of awards to recognize and highlight the work of organizations, ECE students and ECE professionals. Award winners have made an outstanding contribution to the Early Care and Learning community. Their leadership elevates the profile and importance of the profession as well as contributing to the lives of children and families.
Learn more below.
ECEBC's Sue Fraser Student Award
The ECEBC Sue Fraser Award recognizes the importance of ECE students to the early care and learning sector. Students represent a fresh perspective and possess the energy and passion to be an integral part in the future of our sector. ECEBC recognizes the importance of building upon and encouraging students to be an active part of the organization.
ECEBC has chosen the sprout to symbolize the Sue Fraser Student Award. We think the sprout represents new growth for the sector and the journey that ECE students have embarked upon. ECEBC sees all early childhood educators and ECE students as having an important leadership role for our profession, children, families, and communities. This award will recognize and honour a student who has:
- Taken an active leadership role within their community to raise awareness of the ECE sector.
- Demonstrated the ability to build strong relationships with their classroom peers, faculty, and community.
- Demonstrated a loving and respectful commitment to children and families, and dedication to the ECE profession.
- Demonstrated leadership capabilities with their classroom peers to promote the concept of developing professionalism and maintains enthusiasm for the continued commitment to early care and learning for young children.
- The nominee should be a current student member of the provincial organization (ECEBC).
- The nominee should be enrolled at a Ministry of Children and Family Development-approved postsecondary institution, and working towards their ECE certificate. (For more information regarding approved post-secondary institutions, please view the Recognized Early Childhood Education Training Institutions on the BC Government website.
- The nominee demonstrates an understanding of ECEBC’s Code of Ethics.
- The nominee has demonstrated willingness to go beyond the minimum requirements in their studies and practicum.
ECEBC’s Board of Directors will review all nominations received and select one recipient based on the characteristics and criteria demonstrated in the nomination. The award recipient will be notified prior to ECEBC’s annual conference, and will be awarded at the conference with a certificate and plaque. ECEBC welcomes nominations from instructors, mentors, faculty advisers, and practicum supervisors. The student nominee will be required to fill out the student section of the nomination form.
Recipients:
Award Recipient:
- Zoe Linford (2023)
- Shithin Ann Zachariah (2024)
Honourable Mentions:
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Nicole Wade (2024)
Angela Ashby (2024)
Mikayla Gilfillen-Taks (2024)
Award Recipient:
- 2022 Aryanna Chartrand
- 2021 Victoria Lim
Honorable Mentions:
- 2022 Heather Wilson
- 2019 Inderjit Dhial
- 2018 Katherine Cunningham
- 2017 Natalie McTavish
- 2016 Hazel Quash
- 2015 Heather Broad
- 2014 Lindsay Lichty
Application Form:
Gayle Davis Award
The Gayle Davies Award was established in 1998 by the ECEBC Board of Directors to honour the life work of Gayle Davies, and to create a living legacy of her passion and commitment to the ECE field. Gayle is the former acting director of the Community Care Facilities Licensing Branch. She was, and remains, a strong and active advocate for quality early childhood practice and professionalism.
The ECEBC Board chose the aboriginal symbol of a bald eagle to symbolize the award. The eagle represents the four main characteristics of peace, power, friendship and vision. These four characteristics represent the criteria for the award – qualities for excellence in caring – which is presented to award recipients in sincere recognition of someone very special to the ECE field.
The ECEBC Board has and continues to retain the selection, and keeps the name of the award recipient a secret until the date the award is given.
Recipients
- 2024 Laura Doan
- 2023 Julia Black
- 2022 Kathleen Kummen
- 2019 Cindy Page
- 2018 Don Giesbrecht
- 2017 Rika Lange
- 2016 Taya Whitehead
- 2015 Michelle Gilmour
- 2014 Beverly Christian
- 2013 Sharon Gregson
- 2012 Roni Cahen
- 2011 Brenda Tilk
- 2010 Patricia McClelland
- 2009 Toni Hoyland
- 2008 Mary Dolan
- 2007 Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre
- 2006 Rita Chudnovsky
- 2005 Linda McDonell
- 2004 Anne Marie Prediger
- 2003 Judy Pollard
- 2002 Sheila Davidson
- 2001 N/A
- 2000 Joyce Branscombe
- 1999 Peter Ashmore
- 1998 Gyda Chud
Kay Britton Membership Award
The Kay Britton Mentor Award was established by ECEBC’s Board of Directors to honour the life work of Kay Britton, a licensing officer, and a deeply passionate and caring individual who left a legacy of how early childhood educators can change the world. Kay was the president of ECEBC from 1972- 1974 where she was quoted in the BC Government magazine
“We are determined that the children entrusted to us shall be housed in quality facilities that meet the children’s and teacher’s needs... We are determined that our salaries shall rise above the poverty level... We are determined that support services for children, parents, and teachers should be available immediately on request. Too many of us have seen one or two years go by with nothing, except the teachers’ efforts, being extended to help and rehabilitate a child in need...”
Kay Britton (President 1974-1976), Government of BC Magazine People in 1975
This award will recognize and honour an individual who has met the criteria below. The recipient will receive a certificate and have her or his name inscribed on the Kay Britton Mentor Award plaque housed at ECEBC’s provincial office. All nominees will be invited to the awards event to receive recognition
- The nominee should be an ECEBC member in good standing and should be active in guiding others to gain skills and knowledge.
- The candidate should inspire others to practice in an ethical and professional manner. The candidate should contribute to promoting ECEBC’s mission statement and goals through work at the Board or regional branch level.
- We also look for candidates who encourage other ECEBC members to seek information, advice, and support from the community, ECEBC Board of Directors and staff.
Recipients
Honorary Mention:
- 2022 Pam Preston
- 2022 Kerry Duchnycz
Award Recipient:
- 2023 Rebecca Bennet
- 2022 Danielle Davis
- 2021 Norma Stokes
- 2019 Leola McMillan
- 2018 Jacky Hughes
- 2017 Diane Tannahill
- 2016 Lynne Reside
- 2015 Charlene Gray
- 2014 Christine Jackson
- 2013 Joyce McMann
- 2012 Lynn Brown
- 2011 N/A
- 2010 Jacquie Ennik-Laquerre
- 2009 N/A
- 2008 N/A
- 2007 Anne-Marie Prediger
- 2006 N/A
- 2005 Michelle de Salaberry
- 2004 Alice Pennington
- 2003 Lesley Gibbs
- 2002 Essie Wolfe
- 2001 Natalie Duffey
- 2000 N/A
- 1999 N/A
- 1998 June Meyer
- 1997 N/A
- 1996 Elaine Kopetski
- 1995 Ursi Reynolds, Roxanne Penner, Merrilyn Pennanen, Valerie Orth, Judi Langley
- 1994 Susan Huffman-Coe, Karen Gauthier
- 1993 Mary McLennan
Application Form
Horizon Award
The Horizon Award was created by the ECEBC BOARD OF DIRECTORS to recognize the efforts of someone who has contributed in an extraordinary way to moving not just ECEBC forward, but the sector as a whole. Someone who pays attention to the here and now, but also looks forward, beyond the Horizon to prepare for an ever-changing future in Early Care and Learning.
2023 Award Recipient: Charlene Grey
Our Horizon Award recipient Charlene Gray, known as Char to many of her friends and family. She became an early childhood educator in 1988 and has dedicated all of her professional life to the early childhood field. For the last 25 years, she has worked at Comox Valley Children’s Daycare Society, first in the preschool and childcare programs and for the last 10 years, as the senior manager where she successfully applied and received funding to create a $10 a day site. FYI, she was an original member of the $10 a Day Advisory Committee. She has taught as a sessional instructor for North Island College. Char is a proud member of the Child Care Coalition since 2010. She sits on the Canadian Child Care Federation Board of Directors for and she is also a member of the BC Provincial Child Care Council.
Char has been an active member of her local ECEBC branch since 1991. At the Provincial level, she served 9 years on the Board of Directors of ECEBC of which part of that time included the role as Chair of the Board, stepping down in 2019. Her other work with ECEBC includes becoming an Ethical Journey Guide and was involved in the updates to the ECEBC Code of Ethics where she worked closely with the original writers Sandra Griffin and Doctor Frances Ricks. She was also part of a working group that piloted the on-line version of the Best Choices: An Ethical Journey, giving invaluable feedback to improve user experience. Char was part of the ECEBC leadership initiative where her cohort created a project to support the leadership capacity of ECEs to seek municipal support and approval for posting universal picture signs on public buildings that welcomes children and makes them more visible in the community. She is the 2015 recipient of ECEBC’s Kay Britton Award.
Char has achieved many important accomplishments in the field of early childhood education. She has worked tirelessly in advocating for educators, families and children. I can safely say that she has disrupted the idea of the 24 hour day because outside of ECE, she is an extremely talented nature photographer. However, I think she would say that her most important roles are that of a wife, mother and grandmother to her family. Please join me in honouring Charlene Gray as the 2023 recipient of the Horizon Award.
ECEBC Honorary Fellow
ECEBC Honorary Fellows is ECEBC's highest award. It is conferred by the governing board on the basis of merit to an individual who has delivered long and distinguished service and support to ECEBC.
- Maryann Bird
- Rita Chuvnovsky
- Dr. Alan Pence
- Rita Oudelaar
- Joyce Branscombe
- Sheila Davidson
- Alan Mirabelli
- Sandra Griffin
- Mary Dolan
- Carolyn Stewart
- Barb Johnston
- Sue Fraser
- Gayle Davies
- June Meyer
- Frances Ricks
- Michelle de Saleberry
- Darcelle Cottons
- Judy Pollard
Questions or Comments? Contact Us
If you have any questions regarding any of the Early Childhood Educators of BC Sector Iniatives please contact us.