Each year, the Mercer Island Preschool Association (MIPA) honors a teacher, assistant or administrator with the Exceptional Educator award. The award is presented to an individual who has made extraordinary contributions to the preschool community.

MIPA selected Laura Selby, a teacher at the Stroum Jewish Community Center, as the Exceptional Educator of 2016. Selby has dedicated over 20 years to teaching preschool children.

On Friday, Selby was surprised by students, parents, colleagues and MIPA board members who gathered at the SJCC to celebrate her achievement with flowers, cake and hugs.

MIPA received passionate and remarkable nomination letters from both parents and colleagues, said Jessica Apodaca, co-vice president of preschools for MIPA. The letters demostrated the positive impact she has had on these families, children, and workplace and described Selby as a respectful, knowledgeable, innovative and caring teacher.

“Laura’s passion for early childhood education and the belief that children are capable learners with the ability to take on responsibility and tackle hard problems has allowed the children in the class to mature and feel confident far beyond what I, even as an educator myself, would expect from two to three year olds,” one letter read.

Selby said her favorite part about teaching preschool is tapping into the vibrant imaginations of her students.

Another stated that Selby is “so good, I worry we’ll never have a teacher we like as much and will always be a tad bit disappointed.”

For more on MIPA, see www.mipreschoolassociation.org.