Educators from around Vermont came together on Monday and Tuesday at the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children's annual childhood educators conference. They participated in workshops and heard from others working in their field to learn new ways they can develop young minds. And Sharron Harrington, director of the association, said it's also an opportunity to recognize the passion Vermont educators have for their work. "Compensation has been so low, but the passion is there, the commitment is there, and people continue to grow their person qualifications to be able to do the best possible work they can do for children," Harrington said.This year, Michelle Kang, CEO of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, also joined the celebrations.Since the pandemic, early childhood education has faced many challenges, Kang said. But since Vermont passed Act 76, which allows for more investment in child care systems and education, Kang said the state has become a leader in the field of early childhood education. “Vermont has recognized the importance of investing in early education and has taken steps to make sure that programs can be supported, that early educators can be given supports, professional development and the compensation for them to be able to do this work in a meaningful way," she said. Individual educators were honored for their outstanding work in the field. The awardees are:Vermont Early Childhood Educator of the Year: Tammy Gosley, lead teacher Head Start/Early Head Start of Bennington CountyChildren’s Champion: State Representative Jessica BrumstedDistinguished Service: Betsy Rathbun-Gunn, director of Bennington County Head Start/Early Head StartEarly Childhood Education Student of the Year: Matthew Moore of Sharon, graduate of the Community College of VermontEmerging Leader: Caitlin D’Onofrio of Burlington, early childhood educator at Robin’s Nest Children’s CenterOutstanding Members: Dr. Kaitlin Northey of Burlington, assistant professor of early childhood education at the University of Vermont and April Zajko, early childhood educator and Community College of Vermont faculty member