Early Childhood Education (ECE) students and staff members celebrated the Ninth Annual Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day with a social and pizza party at the Orillia Campus on Oct. 21.

Guest speaker Heather St. Germain, ECE advisory committee chair, spoke to students about the child care field and the important role child care workers have in the development of children, their families and the community as a whole.

Recent studies show that trained and knowledgeable ECEs are the most important element in quality child care.

ECE students presented a cheque for $470 to the Emergency Baby Needs Fund at the Ontario Early Years Program in Orillia. The money was raised through a bake sale.

Pictured: Early Childhood Education (ECE) graduate Karen Brown (l) and ECE faculty member Deb Irwin.