Lancaster, PA (May 7, 2008) – Local businesses and individuals were honored for their efforts to support and promote the healthy development and early education of all children at the Success By 6 Early Care and Education Awards Dinner held tonight at the Eden Resort Inn.

“We are celebrating the community of child care professionals – the people who make it possible for parents to go to work or to school knowing their children are thriving in a safe and nurturing early care and education environment. And we are celebrating those who educate the teachers and caregivers of our young children as well as businesses who understand that happy, secure employees are more productive and loyal,” said Susan C. Eckert, President of United Way of Lancaster County.

Sonshine Child Development Center, Lititz, received the Child Care Center Award for excellence in the care it provides to the families who use its services. Center Director Mary Christine Shebish, a Success By 6 Master’s Degree Scholarship recipient, has served on the Children with Special Needs task force, co-authored a child advocacy training curriculum, and provides training at conferences. Under Shebish’s leadership, the staff and board of Sonshine Development Center have achieved STAR 4 status through the Keystone STARS quality early childhood education initiative.

The Family/Group Child Care Provider Award was presented to Flowers Emergency Child Care Services, for the flexibility and quality care it offers to Lancaster County families. Based on a distinct business plan to serve the needs of busy working parents, Flowers Emergency Child Care Services provides child care during days, nights and weekends, and for emergency, short-term, on-going and recreational use. Owner Cindy Flowers participates in the Public Private Pre K Counts initiative, which supports her efforts to improve the early education and services her business provides.

A new honor, the Early Childhood Leadership Award recognizes an early childhood educator or advocate who has extraordinary vision for the field. The inaugural Early Childhood Leadership Award was presented to Wendy Bertoli, creator of the Early Childhood Training Institute at the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center. A long-time leader in the field, Bertoli has developed state-wide training conferences, served as an adjunct professor of Early Childhood, and helped write the state wide curriculum for the Program of Early Childhood Education for Secondary Schools.

Cargas Systems, Inc. was recognized with the Carol D. Hess Children’s Champion Award for its efforts to promote work/life balance among employees by offering flexible work hours, work-from-home options, and flex time to participate in family activities. The honor, presented to a Lancaster County business that exemplifies family-friendly practices within the workplace and community and advocates for children, is named for Carol D. Hess, a local champion of quality early childhood education. Hess, the outgoing Chair of United Way’s Early Care and Education Solutions Council, was also honored during the ceremony for her leadership and advocacy on behalf of Success By 6.

Harriet Dichter, Deputy Secretary of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, gave the keynote address. Ms. Dichter’s office funds programs such as the Nurse Family Partnership, Parent Child Home Program, Child Care Works, PA Pre K Counts and the Community Engagement Grant, resources that are available to Lancaster County children and families through the efforts of United Way Success By 6.

About Harriet Dichter: Harriet Dichter is Deputy Secretary, Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Pennsylvania Departments of Public Welfare and Education. The Office of Child Development and Early Learning was created by Governor Rendell as part of a new initiative to link the Department of Public Welfare and the Department of Education to bolster early education and care for Pennsylvania children. As the head of that office, Ms. Dichter leads state efforts to raise the priority level for early learning, including programs such as Pre-K Counts, the full-day kindergarten initiative, state-based Head Start program, the Keystone STARS early learning program, and Child Care Works. She currently serves on the Council on Accreditation for the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Previously, Ms. Dichter held appointments in the public, philanthropic, and non-profit sectors. Ms. Dichter is an author of Financing Child Care in the United States: An Expanded Catalogue of Current Strategies, published by the Pew Trusts and the Kauffman Foundation, one of the earliest efforts to focus on expanded financing for early care and education. Ms. Dichter received her undergraduate degree at Yale (summa cum laude) and her law degree at the University of Pennsylvania (cum laude).

About Success by 6®: To promote the healthy development of all children pre-natal through age 8, United Way of Lancaster County spearheaded the creation of a local Success By 6 initiative. Joining United Way in its work are nearly 100 volunteers representing 50 organizations, thousands of individual United Way donors and a variety of institutional sponsors.