Perla Valenzuela, an infant-age teacher at Crème de la Crème School of Chandler, received an Educational Excellence Award from KinderCare Learning Companies.

She’s one of only a few dozen award recipients from among the 42,000 KinderCare teachers nationwide, according to a news release.

The release says Valenzuela is honored for her “dedication to inspiring the young minds of children in her program.”

The release said more than 400 of the 42,000 KinderCare teachers were nominated by their colleagues for recognition. Valenzuela was one of only 27 award recipients.

Valenzuela will receive an individual cash prize, professional development opportunities and a cash award for her program.

The release quotes Crème de la Crème Executive Director Tiffany Gomez, who praised Valenzuela.

“She gives individualized attention to each of her babies by making sure she is listening to parents and focusing on each child’s likes,” Gomez said. “She also follows age-appropriate guidelines for milestones and works daily to help them achieve their goals and reach important developmental targets.”

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