Arizona First Things First 2015 “Champion for Young Children” award

Colorado City, AZ – Debbie Justice, Executive Director of The Learning Center for Families (TLC)was honored by the State of Arizona’s First Things First La Paz/Mohave Regional Partnership Council by being named the 2015 Champion for Young Children award on Wednesday, June 24th at 10:30am (MST) at the Masada Charter School located at 365 W. Cannon Ave., Centennial Park, AZ.   The Champion for Young Children award is presented annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to the field of early childhood development and health.

Debbie was selected for the award “because of her outreach efforts over the past 22 years to increase public awareness of the importance of early childhood education, as well as her coordination of several partnerships with other organizations to serve families in your community,” said Vijette Saari, Regional Director for the La Paz/Mohave Regional Partnership Council of First Things First.  Debbie has also been proactive in the business community when it comes to educating various groups about TLC’s mission and early childhood education, which earned TLC the 2015 Nonprofit of the Year award from the St. George Chamber of Commerce.  She has also built a strong, trusting rapport over the years with the Arizona communities of Colorado City, Centennial Park and Cane Beds and helped educate and bridge the cultural and linguistic divide that existed in those areas before.

“I am truly overwhelmed with this honor and hope that by shining a light on my work, the State of Arizona will see how difficult life is for families on the Strip and how vitally important programs such as First Thing First are in ensuring that our most vulnerable children are healthy and learning ready when they reach kindergarten,” said Debbie.

Debbie Justice co-founded TLC in 1993 with only three employees and one location and has since grown the agency to five locations and 65 employees. She has three children – one with special needs and has built an extensive resume of experience and awards over the years in the field of early childhood education.

Please visit www.azftf.gov for more information about the Arizona First Things First program.

VIEW THE SPECTRUM ARTICLE published 6/27/15


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