SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – For 28 years, the Springfield Area Parent Child Center (SAPCC) has led the community celebration of the Week of the Young Child, a national event established in 1971 and sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Covid-19 required finding new ways to hold this celebration for the past two years. This year, SAPCC reached out to the community and invited schools, parents, local businesses, and friends to hang handprints in windows and doors through April 16 to show appreciation for our educators, school staff, and students.
Hundreds of handprints were hung across the area sharing messages of hope and inspiration, and in many cases, thanking special teachers for their endurance and their dedication to make sure that while the world braced for a pandemic and the normal course of business was not normal any longer, our children continued to receive a quality education and care. SAPCC chronicled this story by collecting photos of the handprints using the hashtag #woycthankinghands, and they were shared in the SAPCC Facebook event.
Thank you to those who participated in this collaborative effort: Edgar May Health and Recreation Center, McGee Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Springfield, Smiling Faces Childcare, Springfield Art Gym, Springfield Learning Garden, SEVCA Windsor County Head Start, Early Childhood Program, Springfield Learning Garden, Vermont Department of Health, The Dance Factory, Holly’s Hugs ‘n Kisses Daycare, Sheri’s Heads Up, PlayWorks Child Center, Woodbury Florist, Willow Farm Pet Supplies, H&R Block, Whiting Library, Springfield Town Library, Springfield Post Office, North Springfield Post Office, Springfield Area Parent Child Center, and all of the community members who hung handprints at their homes.