Michigan KinderCare teacher receives national education award

GRAND BLANC TWP, MI – Sierra O’Berry’s playful, childlike spirit doesn’t just make her a favorite among her pre-K students — it’s also earned her national recognition.

O’Berry was recently honored with a prestigious Educational Excellence Award from KinderCare Learning Companies, making her one of 27 KinderCare teachers nationwide to receive the distinction for her dedication to inspiring children in her Grand Blanc Township classroom, just outside of Flint.

“I‘m like a little kid, and kids gravitate towards it,” O’Berry said.

KinderCare, one of America’s largest providers of early childhood and school-age education and child care, employs 42,000 teachers and staff across its family of brands. Out of those 42,000, over 400 were nominated by their colleagues for the recognition.

The award is a testament to O‘Berry’s unique ability to connect with young learners and create a fun, engaging classroom environment.

“I broke down crying and my boss Melissa also broke down crying,” O’Berry said of receiving the award. “It was an emotional day for me.”

O‘Berry, a Swartz Creek native, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in childhood education from Saginaw Valley State University in May 2023. She joined the Grand Blanc KinderCare program in October of that year.

Grand Blanc KinderCare accepts children from six weeks to six years old, according to its website.

O‘Berry’s students range from 3.5 to 5 years old.

Her motivation to become a teacher was evident from a young age.

“I come from a big family and with a lot of girls, so I was the one that the kids would gravitate towards,” O’Berry said. “I liked helping my teachers out when I was in high school, and for a big project in high school, I went to an elementary school and helped out there. It was either kids or old people, I had to pick one. And kids are so much fun and I can be goofy with them.”

Grand Blanc KinderCare offers a curriculum program, which influenced O‘Berry’s decision to work for them.

O’Berry works diligently with her kids on identifying their emotions and handling those emotions, cleaning after themselves, using the bathroom on their own, asking for what they want and becoming self-reliant.

Each day, the students work toward learning their ABCs, learning how to count, and spelling their first and last names.

“A lot of day cares don‘t have that curriculum program that will help kids learn and grow before going to big kids’ school,” she said. “I wanted to be a part of it, and I knew I could help.”

Center Director Melissa Courtney nominated O’Berry for the award.

“She celebrates the children in her class individually by having the children share their home culture with the rest of their classmates. Every interaction is unique and encourages each child in a way that meets them where they are. She is always very engaged with the families by making personal connections through conversations at drop-off,” Courtney said.

“She shares everything she can through the app while inviting families to join in on the learning in our classroom whenever she can. She had a student whose family fasted for a religious holiday, and she created a lesson around that student’s home culture so he could share more about it with the rest of his class.”

The greatest joy for O’Berry is watching her students grow and develop. She loves witnessing their rapid transformations and takes pride in being a part of that journey.

“They grow so fast, I love my job and kids,” O‘Berry said. “They‘re so sweet and love to learn.”