Favorite Preschool Teacher/Family Child Care Provider Contest

By Maui Now Staff

People Attentive to Children, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and improving care for Hawaiʻi’s young people, has opened voting for its fifth annual “Hawaiʻi’s Favorite Preschool Teacher & Favorite Family Child Care Provider” contest.

Last year, the contest collected over 3,000 votes. This year, PATCH received over 242 nominations. Nine finalists have been chosen as follows:

Family Child Care Finalists
Annette Almeida, Honolulu, Oʻahu
Michelle “Mickey” Adams, Kamuela, Hawaiʻi
Tessie Rickard, Kaneohe, Oʻahu

Single Site Preschool Teacher Finalists
Diandra Michael, Honolulu, Oʻahu
Imelda Amy Garma, Honolulu, Oʻahu
Shelley Yorita, Honolulu, Oʻahu

Multi-Site Preschool Teacher Finalists
Angela Rice, Anahola, Kauaʻi
Gwen Imai, Honolulu, Oʻahu
Joy Koyanagi, Hawaiʻi Kai, Oʻahu

The public can now vote online once a day for their favorites until July 7.

PATCH will honor all nine finalists and announce the winners in each category at a benefit dinner on July 24, 2015, at Pōmaika‘i Ballrooms at the Iwilei in Honolulu. The event will include  entertainment, a silent auction, games and dinner.

Tickets are available to the public at $100 for adults and $25 for children.

PATCH assists parents in selecting licensed child care for the smallest of keiki. PATCH also offers enhanced child care referrals, over 100 free child care trainings for parents and child care providers each year, and scholarships and professional development assistance for early childhood education professionals.

PATCH also operates Preschool Open Doors and USDA Food Programs. PATCH has been helping the state’s families balance work and family responsibilities since 1976. The mission of PATCH is to support and improve the quality and availability of care for the young people of Hawaii.

To learn more, go online or call PATCH Executive Director Laura Brucia Hamm at (808) 839-1988 or via email.