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Hay River woman wins scholarship to study early childhood education
Brigitte Cockney began taking courses in Grande Prairie in September

Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Monday, December 21, 2015

HAY RIVER
After spending time working at the Hay River Playschool last year, Brigitte Cockney realized what she wanted to do with her life.

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Brigitte Cockney from Hay River earned a $5,000 Start Early Childhood Development Scholarship from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment this year. - photo courtesy of Brigitte Cockney

"I did a full academic year at the playschool here," she said. "I loved it and I knew that's what I wanted to do."

Cockney decided to apply for the two-year Early Learning and Childcare program at Grande Prairie Regional College in Grande Prairie, Alta.

She also applied for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment's Start Early Childhood Development Scholarship and received $5,000 to help finance her education. She also received a scholarship from the Dehcho First Nations.

She began the program in September.

Cockney, who graduated from Hay River's Diamond Jenness Secondary School about 10 years ago, said she worked in the food industry for about eight years prior to working at the playschool.

She said she knows switching jobs was the right decision for her.

"It was so much less stressful and it made life slow down a bit," she said. "It was a great career choice."

Learning how children develop is one of the most interesting aspects of working with young children, she said.

"Age three and four, they're the most important years of their lives, cognitively and socially," she explained. "Every day is different and interesting."

Her program is challenging, Cockney said. Each semester includes a practicum at a childcare facility in Grande Prairie while in-class topics range from how to ensure a safe childcare environment to how to effectively communicate with parents and the community.

"This semester definitely opened up my eyes to the early childhood field," she said. "There is a lot more behind it."

Once she completes the program, Cockney said she aims to earn her bachelor of Child and Youth Care from MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alta. After that, she hopes to start her own early childhood program. In the meantime, she says she knows she will have to keep busy to achieve her goal.

"Children keep you on your toes," she said. "You have to be prepared for anything."

Cockney said she wanted to thank both the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and the Dene First Nation for her scholarships.

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