Ivy Tech Kokomo’s Penny Zellers honored with Hoosier Educator Award

Penny Zellers, chair of the Early Childhood Education program for Ivy Tech Community College’s Kokomo Service Area, has been named a recipient of the Hoosier Educator Award.

Presented by the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children (INAEYC) during its annual Indiana Early Childhood Conference in Indianapolis, this prestigious award recognizes educators who have demonstrated exemplary development of learning experiences, materials, or curricula for instructing pre-service or in-service teachers.

Zellers was recognized in the university or higher education category for her leadership in strengthening early childhood education across a six-county service area, including Cass, Fulton, Howard, Miami, Pulaski, and Tipton counties. Her recent work has been bolstered by a significant Lilly Endowment Inc. grant, which is funding initiatives to support more than 20 early childhood programs over the next two years. Through this grant, Zellers and her team provide professional learning and high-quality instructional resources — such as Science of Reading-aligned literacy tools and STEM materials — directly to local educators.

"The Lilly Endowment’s support allows Ivy Tech Kokomo to expand its reach, strengthen partnerships, and invest directly in the educators who shape children’s earliest learning experiences," Zellers said. "By combining classroom resources, professional learning, and new pathways for future educators, we are working together to elevate early childhood education across our communities."

Furthering her commitment to the workforce, Zellers introduced the Early Childhood Education Cohort initiative. This higher education model is specifically designed for current childcare center employees, providing a supportive learning community where students progress together toward credentials and degrees while receiving targeted advising and professional development.

The INAEYC awards are presented annually to individuals who provide exceptional education, intervention services, and resources to young children and their families throughout Indiana.