About 130 people attended the 2010 Teacher Graduation Recognition Event on July 17 to celebrate LAUP preschool teachers who recently attained their Associate, Bachelor's or Master's degrees from area colleges and universities.

Many of these teachers obtained their college degrees thanks to financial assistance provided by LAUP, which invested $201,300 on education stipends during the 2009-10 fiscal year. LAUP hosted the event, which was held at the Doubletree Hotel in Commerce.

Celia C. Ayala, Ph.D., CEO of LAUP, and Randi Wolfe, Ph.D., Director of Workforce and Professional Development, congratulated the teachers on their great achievement.

"What these teachers did was take it upon themselves during their busy schedules to further their education for the benefit of their own career development, as well as maximize the educational benefits for the children," Dr. Ayala said.

"Many of the graduates are the first in their family to attend college and/or are the first to earn a college degree," Dr. Wolfe noted. "The fact that they earned college degrees not only represents the achievement of an important personal goal, but one that will have a great positive impact on how preschoolers are taught in L.A. County."

In order to celebrate the teachers who earned degrees and the people who helped them achieve that honor, the event included not only the graduates, but also their parents, children, and families.

Holly Mitchell, CEO of Crystal Stairs, one of the largest non-profit childcare development agencies in California, praised the teachers for their accomplishments, and urged them to dream big.

LAUP teacher graduate, Jennifer Chuang, Site Supervisor for Maple Avenue Preschool in Montebello, who earned her Master of Arts in Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood, addressed her fellow graduates. She told her fellow teachers that their profession is crucial, and praised them for their devotion to the children in their classrooms.

LAUP stipends issued to preschool teachers working toward permits and degrees varied from $900 to $2,100 per person, depending on the number of units earned and the school attended. Overall, LAUP issued 144 stipends last fiscal year to preschool teachers throughout the LAUP network.

With the ongoing support of First 5 LA, LAUP's primary funder, LAUP will continue this program through next year.