Each year the Early Childhood Community Development Centre (ECCDC) in Niagara region holds its annual Niagara Early Learning and Child Care Appreciation and Recognition Gala (formerly the Awards of Excellence) to honour and celebrate the “exemplary achievements and outstanding contributions made by early childhood educators, administrators, volunteers and other valuable staff working within Niagara’s early learning and child care programs.” Recognition presentations are offered in a wide variety of categories, celebrating individuals and teams for achievements in leadership, volunteerism, professionalism, inclusion and commitment to ongoing learning, among other things.
The 2025 edition of the awards, held in December, marked the 28th instalment of the event. More than simply an awards ceremony, the event provides RECEs and sector partners in the region an opportunity to connect with each other and foster stronger connections. It also engages local businesses and community organizations who help support the children and families of Niagara. This year, attendees included RECEs and employers, and representatives of local colleges and universities, community agencies and politicians from all levels of government – all there to celebrate outstanding contributions to early learning and care in the region.
We spoke to Lorrey Arial Bonilla, OCT, B.A (Hons), B.Ed., Executive Director of the ECCDC, and Kelly Bol, B.A (Hons), Training and Events Consultant at ECCDC, to learn more about the awards event, the importance of recognition and the spirit of collaboration within the sector.
How did the event come about, and what led you to create it?
This event was developed to increase the profile of the early learning sector while recognizing the commitment and passion of educators in Niagara. By highlighting the knowledge, skills and professionalism of early learning and childcare professionals, this gala acknowledges the critically important work taking place in the sector to support Niagara families and children.
Why do you think events like this are important for the community and educators?
For RECEs and others in early learning and child care, the gala offers a means to reduce isolation and foster relationships through professional networking. It provides an opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of colleagues, while celebrating the dedication of the sector as a whole. The celebration highlights the importance of fostering community-wide partnerships, and it inspires and motivates our community to strengthen our collaboration towards the shared goal of offering high quality early learning experiences for Niagara’s children.
Tell us about the networking and community-building that happens at this event.
The gala offers valuable opportunities for early learning professionals to strengthen relationships within their own teams, as well as within the wider early learning community in Niagara. The gathering helps to facilitate cross-sector networking between the licensed child care sector, kindergarten programs, home child care professionals and EarlyON teams. It enables our Francophone and Indigenous partners to come together alongside our educational institutions, developmental services and mental health programs. We greatly appreciate the involvement of the Niagara Catholic District School Board and the District School Board of Niagara to help foster continued partnerships between early childhood educators and kindergarten teachers working within both school boards.
The gala provides one evening where the larger early learning community of agencies who work with children between the ages 0-12 come together in one place. The spirit of joy, appreciation and celebration within the room is powerful and inspiring. Throughout the planning of this event, we ensure that community collaboration is woven throughout all aspects of the evening.
For example, the event brings awareness to new programs and initiatives, such as the Niagara Professional Advancement of Careers in Early Childhood Education (PACE) Program offered through Niagara College and the Indigenous ECE Program offered through Six Nations Polytechnic, both designed to support recruitment and retention of early learning professionals in Niagara. This event is also a great opportunity to highlight other programs and partnerships, such Brock University, our Special Needs Resourcing sector, and our local home child care licensed agencies and providers who play an important role in offering families child care choices. We also incorporate special elements throughout the evening to honour diverse traditions and practices.
Give us a picture of the many people and partners who contribute to making this event happen.
The ECCDC is grateful to the many community partners, who support the planning and financial expenses in coordinating the event and the many businesses who sponsor the event and contribute silent auction items. A planning committee comprised of individuals from several licensed childcare programs, local school boards and other community agencies meets regularly to support the event planning.
Community partners also provide inspiration for recognition categories. For example, the Kelly Albanese Child Care Program Inclusion Recognition was inspired by a local early learning professional who passed away, as a way for her colleagues to honour her impact on inclusion practices in our community.
The gala is an opportunity to support the development of strong relationships with our community partners through their presence at the event, which highlights the connections between these agencies and our early learning and child care programs and exemplifies how our community is strongest when we work together in partnership.
We also spoke to others involved in the event — employers, volunteers, attendees and award recipients. Read about the event from their perspective here.
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