Terry Anderson receives New Mexico Child Care Associationn Legacy Award
The New Mexico Child Care Association, during its annual Convention in Albuquerque, honored life-long Silver City resident Terry Andersonwith its Legacy Award for her many years of exceptional and innovative leadership. A sixteen-minute video presentation introduced Terry's many accomplishments and contributions. "Terry Anderson: a History of Love Leadership and Learning. A legacy that lives on." Also included in the presentation were former students and co-workers who shared personal accounts of how they had been impacted by their mentor, friend, and teacher. Their comments included gratitude for her leadership and example of being accepting, respectful, of seeing each person's abilities, her inclusionary method of teaching and developing programs, as well as her ongoing love and friendship.
The video presentation also highlighted some of Terry's accomplishments, including being selected in 2010 as one of the 'Twenty Outstanding Women of New Mexico," her leadership in the statewide Early Childhood Education Task Force, founder of the annual Challenging Child Conference, member of the Grant County Prospectors and the Grant County Community Health Council.
Perhaps the contribution that will be widest reaching and most impactful is the early education program at WNMU, which Terry began with one room of 20 preschool-age children. This grew into a working model program that included an after school-age program, provided practical hands-on training for WNMU students seeking vocational child/family careers and insights into children/family needs for students in other fields of study, plus outreach to and cooperation with other statewide programs of higher education.
In responding to the award, Terry thanked the Association, explained her basic belief that no leader excels without involvement of others. She also expressed her gratitude to her students and co-workers for their contributions to her life and for their part in the legacy award. She also thanked all attendees for their advocacy for children and for working for better lives for children/families in New Mexico. She reminded them of the challenge and importance of continuing this work and commitment to children/families in these difficult days.
Terry was born in Silver City and for a few years lived in Laguna, NM. The family moved to Silver City when Terry was about ten. She attended Silver City public schools, graduated from Silver High, and married Dougan, her high school sweetheart. Both of their children also graduated from Silver High.
Terry is a proud alumna of WNMU, from which she earned two degrees. She then stayed at Western for 25 years as Assistant Dean of Early Childhood Education and taught classes as an Adjunct Professor. She was instrumental in expanding the Community Partnership for Children, a not-for-profit organization, which she later served for ten years as Executive Director and Project Coordinator.
'No one works alone' is a phase Terry used frequently. She gives credit for her accomplishments to her husband and family, and the students and co-workers, who were team members and friends, all of them sharing her passion for children/families and the very strong belief "that every child deserves the very best start."
