State honors child care worker
By ANDREW HORTON, Standard-Times Correspondent

WAREHAM -- Sheri Luke has been overwhelmed by the recent attention she's received for her work.
As a child care professional, the 26-year-old has made strides toward providing a high level of care to children at Wareham Child Care. Three weeks ago, she received a phone call informing her she had won an award from the state's Office of Child Care Services. She was nominated by her peers for an award given to the top child care workers in the commonwealth and was one of only 23 workers statewide picked for the award.
Ms. Luke said the honor is humbling.
"It tells me that my commitment towards making a difference in the lives of these kids has truly paid off," Ms. Luke said. "Working as a preschool teacher is demanding, but also rewarding."
Ms. Luke was the only child care professional to be honored on the SouthCoast and she received plaques and legislative honors. Proud parents, politicians, and child care peers crowded into Wareham Child Care's activity room to catch a glimpse of what local child care centers have been appreciative of for years.
Ms. Luke received a lot of praise from parents whose children interact with her almost every day. When she stepped forward to receive the award, Wareham Child Care executive director Carol Couture was overcome with emotion. Ms. Couture's eyes welled up when Ms. Luke thanked her for her support and guidance.
On hand were state Sens. Marc R. Pacheco, D-Taunton, and Jo Ann Sprague, R-Walpole, to honor Ms. Luke with citations for her hard work and dedication.
"These people are important in our community because they directly impact the lives of young people during their formative years," Sen. Pacheco said. "It's so important to have a dedicated educational staff literally developing these children. It's only appropriate to honor these child care professionals for their powerful work."
Office of Child Care Services commissioner Ardith Wieworka paid homage to Ms. Luke's resolve and tenacity in working with Wareham's youngest students. Since Ms. Luke and others were nominated by their peers, their students and the parents of students, Ms. Wieworka said the honor really speaks volumes about her devotion to education and development.
"Ms. Luke and her peers are taking care of our future, and the unfortunate aspect of that is that these child care workers don't get paid too much to do the kind of important work that they do," Ms. Wieworka said.

This story appeared on Page A6 of The Standard-Times on March 25, 2004.