First Up, Champions for Early Education, is thrilled to recognize Emily Frame, Lead Teacher at Newtown Discovery Preschool in Newtown, PA, who received the 2026 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Award at this year’s First Up Annual Conference on March 6 at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue. She is amongst a group of 15 exceptional early childhood educators from the region who were selected for this honor. One of the largest early childhood conventions in the Mid-Atlantic region, the recipients, representing outstanding teaching across Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, were selected by their peers and will be honored at the Friday night dinner on March 6. Since its founding, the Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards have aimed to elevate the status of early childhood educators, shine a light on teachers whose work too often goes unrecognized, encourage innovation and high-quality early learning experiences and celebrate heartfelt testimonials from families and colleagues who see the difference great teachers make.
Emily Frame is a Lead Teacher at Newtown Discovery Preschool in Newtown, PA, where she works closely with two-year-olds during this important stage of their growth and development. She loves helping little ones explore their world, build confidence, and celebrating new milestones each day. She strives to create a warm, welcoming, and playful classroom environment where both children and families feel comfortable, supported, and excited to learn together. Her passion for teaching began when she was young and has grown even stronger as a mother to her two-year-old son, who inspires her every day to be patient, nurturing, and present. When not in the classroom, she loves spending time with her son and my family, coaching softball, and making special memories while watching her son discover the world around him.
This award honors exceptional early childhood teachers who Inspire curiosity and growth in young children, who bring creativity, compassion, and innovation into their classrooms and who make a lasting impact on their community. Kay and Fred Lokoff launched the Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards in 1994 to honor their daughter Terri, who was a devoted early educator. The Awards are designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of outstanding early care and education teachers and bring attention to the critical roles they play in the lives of young children. Being nominating shines a light on teachers whose contributions often go unseen.
Jaime Lokoff, Terri Lynne’s brother, has continued the legacy of these awards for his family. He said, “We are so pleased to continue the legacy of my sister, someone who treasured young children and embodied the symbol of excellence in their education. We created the award in her memory to recognize teachers who do not normally get recognized and to show them, their students, their families and the entire community, how important a child’s first teacher is. I look forward to meeting this year’s honorees at the conference.”
As part of the application, teachers were asked to reflect on how they support both children and their families in meaningful, responsive, and inclusive ways. A committee of early childhood educators and specialists reviewed the applications. This year, award recipients will receive a $2,000 cash prize, complimentary registration to the 2026 First Up Annual Conference and recognition at the Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards Ceremony during the conference.
“Our goal is to elevate both the critical role that early childhood educators play in the lives of young children and to highlight the extraordinary level of care and education that happens in these programs,” said Carol Austin, Executive Director of First Up. “By recognizing this excellent group of teachers at our conference, we hope everyone in attendance will take pride in their success and be inspired to elevate their practice.”
The conference venue, the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue, is located at 4200 City Avenue in Philadelphia. For those driving to the venue, self-parking is available for $8 per day, with valet parking offered at $15 per day. Public transportation is also a convenient option, with the Overbrook Train Station just half a mile away and SEPTA Bus 34 stopping nearby. Guests can attend either day or both days. To register and learn more about the First Up Conference, visit https://www.firstup.org/fupac/.
