Taiyo Receives Minister's Award of Excellence in Child Development

The Taiyo Early Childhood Education Centre team was honoured to receive a 2025 Award of Excellence from the Minister of Education and Childcare on November 27, 2025. This award, in the Programs category, recognizes the dedication of the entire team of Taiyo educators, led by Director Dana Christiansen and Assistant Director Ana Carballo, in their work with the children in the Taiyo program. The award acknowledges the high-quality care, innovation, and strong support provided by Taiyo for children and their families.

Assistant Deputy Minister Tanis Liebreich highlighted the excellent program that Taiyo offers, including the focus on exploring science, engaging the children's senses across many types of activities, providing regular yoga sessions with a certified instructor, hosting special days that engage the whole family, and discovering and connecting with our community through visits to the library, the new school construction site, and racquetball courts. She also noted that Taiyo has taken important steps to support Spanish-speaking newcomers to the community, and Dana provided examples to the awards audience that outlined the various ways that Spanish language is incorporated into daily activities at Taiyo. Dana also highlighted how the Taiyo team helps connect families to other supports in the community to ensure they have the resources they need as newcomers to the area.

Congratulations to Dana, Ana and the entire Taiyo ECEC team on this significant accomplishment and acknowledgement by the Government of Alberta!

The Taiyo Early Childhood Education Centre Team