Six Early Childhood Educators Selected as Los Angeles County Preschool Teachers of the Year

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Six early childhood educators have been chosen as the Los Angeles County Preschool Teacher of the Year Award winners. Selected from a large pool of nominated teachers throughout Los Angeles County, the awards honor outstanding teachers in each of the county's five Supervisorial districts, who go above and beyond the call of duty to prepare their students for kindergarten and beyond.  The winners will be recognized during an evening celebration at the Globe Theatre in Universal Studios Hollywood on Thursday, April 4, 2013.

The winners are Beatriz Sackett at John Tracy Clinic in Los Angeles; May Webster at Whelan State Preschool in Lennox; Christine Morrison at Stanley Mosk Elementary in Winnetka; Antonio Garza, Jr., at Los Molinos Elementary in Hacienda Heights; Juana M. Guzman at All Season's Children's Learning Center in Arcadia; and Jennifer Weisbart at Burbank Elementary in Pasadena.

Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide access to quality preschool education to the children of Los Angeles County.  LAUP has been honoring exceptional preschool teachers through these awards for six years.  The recognition includes a $2,000 prize for each winner through the Elizabeth Lowe/Bob Weekley Award for Excellence in Preschool Teaching.

"These winners are a talented group of educators and are truly the unsung heroes in the field of early education," said Celia C. Ayala, chief executive officer of LAUP. "All six make an extraordinary impact on each child that crosses their path, and devote their energy to help bring out the best in each preschooler. Because of their individual and collective experiences, thousands of children are thriving today and better prepared for their futures."

LAUP will also present Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky with the Elizabeth Hamilton Lowe Child Advocacy Award for his commitment and dedication to the development of young children.  News Anchor Ellen Levya of KABC-TV Channel 7 will serve as Master of Ceremonies.  Visit www.laup.net for event information.

About LAUP: Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP) is a non-profit network of more than 300 preschool sites, established to fund a free or low-cost, quality preschool education to the children of Los Angeles County in order to better prepare four-year-olds to succeed in school. LAUP has raised the level of quality preschool programs throughout the county by advancing teacher training, enriching curricula and offering a safe and nurturing environment for more than 60,000 preschoolers since 2005.  LAUP is funded in part by First 5 LA.  www.laup.net.

SOURCE Los Angeles Universal Preschool