LANSING - The Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) and the Great Start Collaboratives awarded Rich Van Tol the first-ever "Great Start Fierce Heart Award" during ECIC's recent Challenge 2010 event, held December 15th in East Lansing.
Van Tol is the Director of Early Childhood Programs for the Saginaw Intermediate School District.
"This award recognizes passion, commitment, and leadership on behalf of Michigan's youngest children from birth to age five," said Judy Samelson, CEO of ECIC, which created the award. "Children in the Saginaw area, and throughout Michigan, have no stronger advocate than Rich Van Tol."
Van Tol has been in his position with the Saginaw ISD since 1997. He is a graduate of Garber High School in Essexville. He received a B.S. in Psychology from Michigan State University. Van Tol has also earned Master's degrees from both Central Michigan University (M.S.A Business and Health Administration) and Saginaw Valley State University (M.Ed Educational Leadership).
"I am honored to be selected," said Van Tol. "There are so many people deserving of this award who are working throughout the state to provide better opportunities for young children."
Julie Kozan, director of the Saginaw County Great Start Collaborative, said, "Our mission is to see that all children enter kindergarten safe, healthy, and ready to succeed in school and in life. Rich Van Tol is a wonderful partner for all that Great Start does."
The Great Start Fierce Heart Award was established in December, 2009, by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation to honor and recognize an individual who has shown unwavering dedication to the Great Start vision and who is taking relentless action at the national, state and/or local levels to bring that vision to reality.
The Fierce Heart recipient:
- Understands and embraces the need to work collaboratively with many partners, at all levels, in order to deliver on the Great Start promise
- Sees barriers as an opportunity for innovation and works tirelessly to improve the lives of infants, toddlers and preschoolers in his or her community and across the state
- Often labors in relative obscurity because he or she is more interested in improving the future for Michigan's youngest learners than in seeking personal recognition
- Never forgets that true success is not measured by one's title or position, but by the difference that he or she makes in the lives of young children.
The Fierce Heart Award is an annual award with an unusual twist. In this, the award's first year, the ECIC selected the recipient. But beginning next year, the previous year's recipient will choose the next winner.