Palatine preschool teacher wins $10,000 excellence award

The only clue that Attiya Mirza had that her Monday was going to be anything other than ordinary was the camera crew documenting her enthusiastically leading students through the day's lessons at Quentin Park KinderCare in Palatine.

But then more and more people began entering the room and, before Mirza knew it, she was being presented with a $10,000 Early Childhood Education Award for teaching excellence.

"I started crying," said Mirza, a Palatine resident "I work for the kids; I never thought about getting any awards for it."

Mirza, who has worked at KinderCare for four years, was nominated and selected for the award by her colleagues. Among Mirza's qualities praised by her peers is her ability to connect with kids in the classroom, as well as with their parents, whom Mirza keeps up to date by sending them pictures and a newsletter every two weeks.

"I know these kids are very special, and that their parents and family, they want to know what is going on," Mirza said.

In addition to the cash prize, Mirza also earns a trip to a national early education conference.