Tennesseans for Quality Early Education announce the launch of the inaugural Tennessee Early Educator Awards. These awards aim to honor exceptional early childhood educators, elevate the early childhood education profession, and highlight the critical role high-quality early education plays for Tennessee’s children, families, and communities, officials said.
“We are delighted to introduce the Tennessee Early Educator Awards to spotlight the extraordinary dedication and impact of our state's early educators,” said Blair Taylor, CEO of TQEE.
“These awards are designed to showcase the importance of the early educator profession and to recognize those who demonstrate excellence in nurturing and educating our youngest learners.”
The awards will recognize 20 outstanding educators across the state, with 10 awards in each of the following categories: birth through preschool and kindergarten through third grade. Each awardee will receive a $1,000 cash prize, a shopping spree at Lakeshore Learning, an all-expenses-paid trip to Nashville and a variety of other surprise gifts.
To be eligible for the award, an early educator must:
• be currently employed full-time in Tennessee, caring for and teaching children;
• be within the birth through preschool age range in a regulated center, family child care home or school-based program;
• or within grades K-3 at a state-accredited public or charter school; and
• have been an early childhood educator for three or more years.
The nomination window is open from Monday, July 15 to Friday, Aug. 2 at noon Central Time.
Anyone may submit a nomination, and self-nominations are also welcome. Nominations can be submitted through the TQEE website at
TQEE Early Educator Awards.
Qualifying nominees will be invited to submit an application. Awards will be announced in late October.
The presenting sponsor for the Award is Lakeshore Learning. Supporting sponsors include Truist Bank, Ballad Health, Hyde Family Foundation, Niswonger Foundation, the Boyd Foundation and Crisp Communications.