Early Childhood Encourager

This seminar is for all Early Childhood Directors of free standing preschools and child care centers and Directors or Lead Teachers of the preschools or child care centers of our elementary schools. The purpose is to equip as well as link early childhood educators with one another as leaders within their congregation, schools and early childhood centers. This year we have two presenters for the day. Lunch is again included in the program.

Lenetta Colbert: Lenetta is the director of Open Arms Child Development Center in Fairbanks, Alaska. She has worked for 21 years in the early childhood field, running her own home -based childcare, starting a center at her church and most recently as Director of Open Arms. She has a degree in Home Economics with an emphasis in Child Development and Family Life. Introducing young children to Jesus is her passion and she strives to make each endeavor a reflection of agreement with the words of Jesus Christ himself--"unless you become like a little child you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven". She feels that the importance of young children is best supported in quality programs that strive to provide environments that facilitate and optimize the young child's growth in each area of development. She also enjoys working with and teaching young parents. Lenetta, originally from Oregon, has lived in Fairbanks for 3 1/2 years. She is married to Terry, and together they have four grown children and two grandchildren. She enjoys cross country skiing, knitting, fly fishing, and reading.

Mary Widenhofer: Mary has taught for 35+ years in Lutheran Schools in the midwest at the primary grade level and most recently at the preschool level. Currently she is the preschool director and Early Fives teacher at Holy Cross Lutheran School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She also teaches a college level course entitled "Play as Development" at the University of Purdue and Indiana University in Fort Wayne. "I love teaching this course about play in the classroom and outdoors because play in the preschool and primary level is being diminished greatly due to all the testing that is required at the state and national levels. Play is the means and medium of learning for our young children and they are losing out socially, emotionally and physically with the lack of outdoor and indoor free play time."

Mary has presented sectionals in various Lutheran conferences on the state and national level to preschool and primary teachers on a variety of topics...literacy, planned faith-filled preschool and family activities, assessment and values education. She loves to incorporate music and movement into her teaching but she really believes that faith development for our children And their families is her primary mission.

Mary is married to David, also an educator on the secondary level and church leadership consultant. She has three grown sons all of whom live on the east coast. She enjoys six wonder-filled grandchildren ranging in ages from 3 months to 10 years old. They are validating her values and philosophy of learning and play. She is honored and privileged to share some curriculum ideas with you here in the Pacific Northwest. She looks forward to learning from you in this opportunity.