MARQUETTE -The Upper Peninsula Association for the Education of Young Children invites the Upper Peninsula to shine a spotlight on young children during April’s Month of the Young Child.

As a part of the National and Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children’s annual celebration, UPAEYC is honoring young children and all those who make a positive difference in children’s lives with the fifth annual U.P. BEACON Award.

“All young children need and deserve high-quality early learning experiences that will prepare them for life, and our ‘BEACON’ Award provides an important opportunity to recognize those who do an outstanding job to help ‘light the way to early success’ for young children throughout the Upper Peninsula,” said Judy Place, president of UPAEYC, in a news release. “The Month of the Young Child is a time set aside for local communities to remember that the ‘early years are learning years’ for all young children and our award is intended to be a beacon by spotlighting those special citizens who help by ‘Lighting the Way to Early Success.'”

The U.P. BEACON Award was begun in 2011 as a way to draw attention to outstanding individuals throughout the Upper Peninsula whose work with young children has contributed to early learning readiness and success in school. During Michigan’s Month of the Young Child, UPAEYC asks each community to recognize the importance of early learning and early literacy in their area and to celebrate the people and policies that bring early childhood education to young children.

Nominations for this year’s U.P. BEACON Award will be considered from a broad range of qualifications such as service to children, family involvement, coordination of resources, and contributions to the field of early childhood education. The categories include: “Exemplary Early Childhood Professional” and “Outstanding Partner in Early Education and Care.”

Nomination forms are available for download or by online submission on the UPAEYC website and www.yooperaeyc.blogspot.com; on the UPAEYC Facebook page: www.facebook.com/upaeyc; or by email: yooperaeyc@gmail.com. Completed nomination forms can be submitted to the UPAEYC Month of the Young Child committee via mail: 1740 Christine St., Ishpeming, MI 49849 or via email by the address above.

Deadline for submission of nominations is noon March 30. The fifth annual U.P. BEACON award recipient will be announced during the National AEYC’s “Week of the Young Child,” April 12-18.