Road to Success

Throughout 2024, the Office of Childhood (OOC) will share “Roads to Success,” a collection of stories from professionals and higher education institutions. Stories from professionals feature achievements from people working in childhood programs such as home visiting, early intervention, child care, Head Start, preschool, and afterschool. Stories from higher education institutions highlight colleges and universities who are using innovative methods to support and grow the early childhood workforce. There are many roads to success, it is important to highlight the varying and unique pathways that professionals take and how higher education programs can pave the way.  You can view previous editions of the Road to Success as well. 

This month’s “Road to Success” focuses on Veronica Hoerrmann, the recipient of the Missouri Association for the Education of Young Children’s (MOAEYC) Young Professional Award for 2024. Veronica was interested in working with children from a young age. Her mom was a paraprofessional at her elementary school, and she admired the work of her kindergarten teacher.

These influences inspired her to enroll in the Early Childhood Professions program at Linn County Area Career & Technical Center while attending Marceline High School. She earned her Child Development Associate credential, completing all the needed credits and work hours within the school year.

While attending North Central Missouri College (NCMC), she was offered a position at Presbyterian Children’s House, where she still teaches. She continues to take courses at NCMC, majoring in both Early Childhood Development and Elementary Education. In early 2024, Veronica was surprised to learn she had been nominated for the MOAEYC Young Professional Award. She formally accepted the award at the 2024 Conference on the Young Years.

Veronica loves her job as the Lead Teacher for two- through five-year-olds because of the joy it brings her. She is reminded of the impact of her position every morning when the children enthusiastically come to greet her, as well as in the moments when she connects with former students who are continuing to succeed in their educational journey. She knows that early educators “leave a positive impact,” and encourages those who might be interested.