First Steps celebrates Early Childhood Chmpions

A group of sixteen women gather for a photo

Above: the 2026 Early Childhood Champion nominees gather at the September 25th event at the Inn at Virginia Tech.

 

Blacksburg, Virginia; October 15, 2026: In late September, First Steps, an initiative of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley (CFNRV), celebrated early childhood educators and advocates at the sixth annual Early Childhood Champion Awards. First Steps is a network of more than 60 New River Valley (NRV) organizations that support young children and families through early childhood education, healthcare, human services, advocacy, and more. This year, 18 people were nominated for awards.

The award ceremony was held during lunch at the annual Igniting Connections Symposium, a free, day-long conference for early educators held at the Inn at Virginia Tech and sponsored by Early Childhood Education Initiatives at Virginia Tech. More than 240 people gathered to honor the nominees and five award winners.

In addition to educators and caregivers, those in attendance included local government officials, Virginia Tech employees, and business leaders. Additionally, Senator Tim Kaine made a special appearance and shared a few words of thanks at the start of the event. Kaine also met with childcare providers and other stakeholders before the event.
A headshot of Lynn Hill, who is wearing a bright blue blouse.

Above: Lynn Hill, the 2026 Early Childhood Champion of the Year.
Five nominees were selected as this year’s awardees and received cash prizes from the CFNRV. Lynn Hill, who founded Rainbow Riders Childcare Center in 1981 and is currently an advocate with the Giles Early Education Project won the event’s top award, the 2026 Early Childhood Champion of the Year.

Additionally, during her long, transformative career, Lynn served as an instructor in Early Childhood Education at Virginia Tech. One of her nominators said, “With her enormous heart and unwavering dedication, Lynn has profoundly influenced the field of early childhood education in the NRV and around the world…at Virginia Tech, Lynn mentored countless emerging educators.”
A group of five women gather for a photo

Above: the 2026 winners. From left to right: Joselene Bloom (honoree), Alexa Gardner (runner-up), Lynn Hill (Champion of the Year), Marie Shadle (honoree), and Megan Thomas (honoree).
This year’s Early Childhood Champion runner-up is Alexa Gardner, an assistant director and senior instructor at the Virginia Tech Child Development Center for Learning and Research. Her nominator noted that over her 22-year career, Gardner is dedicated to teaching and mentoring everyone from up-and-coming high school students to veteran teachers.

Additionally, First Steps recognized three honorees: Joselene Bloom, an Early Care & Education Professional at Calfee Community & Cultural Center’s Harmon Learning Center in Pulaski; Marie Shadle, an Early Intervention Physical Therapist at Children’s Therapy Concepts in Radford; and Megan Thomas, an Internal Medicine & Pediatrics Physician at the Community Health Center of the New River Valley in Christiansburg.

 

The full list of nominees is below. Nominations for the 2027 awards will open next spring. More information on First Steps can be found online at cfnrv.org/firststeps. To support or get involved with the work of First Steps, please reach out to Margaret Hurst at margarethurst@cfnrv.org or 540-381-8999.

The 2026 Early Childhood Champion Nominee List by Locality Served (winners indicated with an *)

 

All New River Valley

  • Erin Spens, New River Health District
  • Marie Shadle, Children’s Therapy Concepts *
  • Megan Thomas, Community Health Center of the New River Valley*

Floyd County

  • Holly Kiser, Floyd County Public Schools – Virginia
  • Faith Nichols, New River Community Action, Inc. Head Start, Floyd

Giles County

  • Genna Bales, Giles Health & Family Center, Kids & Co.
  • Sara Bales, Giles Health & Family Center, Kids & Co.
  • Lynn Hill, GEEP – Giles Early Education Project*
  • Nicole Payne, Giles Health & Family Center, Kids & Co.

Montgomery

  • Candace Bean, New River Community Action, Inc. Head Start, Blacksburg
  • Patricia Cooper, Open Arms Childcare Center
  • Alexa Gardner, Virginia Tech Child Development Center for Learning and Research*
  • Katarena Hall, The Children’s Nest
  • Katelin Losinger, The Children’s Nest
  • Marjorie Quesenberry, Rainbow Riders Childcare Center St. Michael’s Early Head Start, Blacksburg
  • Rhonda Simpkins, The Children’s Nest

Pulaski

  • Joselene Bloom, Calfee Community & Cultural Center’s Harmon Learning Center*
  • Traci Brockway, Central United Methodist Preschool