Samantha Adams of Juneau is this year’s recipient of thread’s Cindy Harrington Heart & Mind award, given to an individual currently employed in the field of early care and learning who exhibits strength of character, commitment to excellence, professional determination, and has an impassioned spirit.
Adams’ work and commitment extends beyond her program and the classroom. She leads a child care program in Juneau where every day she brings passion and a huge heart for young children to her work. She is a mentor to other professionals in the field and makes it a priority to recruit and train high quality professional staff. An informed and active advocate for the early care and learning profession, Samantha has marched at the capital, written letters to the newspaper and testified to policy makers on improving policies for the early childhood profession.
Harrington was one of the founding mothers of early childhood work in Alaska, as well as, a member of thread’s board of directors until her passing in May of 2014. thread recognizes a professional in the field of early care and learning that embodies the same heart and mind leadership style that Harrington portrayed throughout her career.
