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My name is Tiffany Smith, I was born in Tampa Fl, in 1974, and I am a
thirty-three year old daughter of a retired City of Tampa police
officer, my father, and a caterer, my mother. I grew up in a loving
household with my two sisters, a step brother, and step sister.
My formal education was through Hillsborough County Public
Schools where I am an alumnus of Armwood High School.
I studied office management skills, played basketball, ran track
and field, and was a cheerleader with the City of Tampa Park and
Recreation Department. I am
a single mother of an eight year old daughter who I am raising in a
loving, supportive, and positive environment.
She was my inspiration to enter into the early childcare field,
because I wanted to be actively involved in her development.
In November of 2000, I became a two year old teacher at Tampa United
Methodist Center-Rosa Valdez center.
While working as a teacher, and hostess at the Tampa Bay
Performing Arts Center, I attended Henry W. Brewster Technical Center,
where I earned my Child Development Associate Equivalency on May 25,
2001. My education
continued at Nova Southeastern University where I completed
Administration of Child Care and Education Programs, receiving the State
of Florida Director Credential on December 30, 2002.
Once I received my director’s credential I was promoted to
Assistant Manager of the Rosa Valdez Early Intervention Center Tampa,
Florida. While functioning
as the Assistant Manager, I saw there was a need for a Family Support
Coordinator, and seeing the opportunity for further personal
professional development, and enhancement of the program, I accepted the
dual role as Assistant Manager and Family Support Coordinator.
In 2005, I became the Manager of Cuscaden Center and the Program Manager
of Tampa United Methodist Summer Enrichment Program leaving me for a
second time, to tackle a dual responsibility.
In these positions, I hired, trained and monitored staff, as well
as implemented the curriculum programs, mentored staff, and managed the
overall operations of the program. Realizing that an audience of my
colleagues and acquaintances regard my contributions, and embrace my
leadership, I was able to apply that positive energy and put forth the
effort, and achieve the title of Early Literacy Matters Director of the
Year 2008. My aspirations
to continue to raise the bar is exhibited by the high level of
expectations placed on each child by providing qualified and
professional individuals whose first priorities are the children for
whom they provide care, as well as my obligation to both parents and
staff to create an “in-sync” relationship between the two entities.
I embrace the old proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”, and I
hold fast to that belief. To expound on the adage, I understand that my
involvement with creating and utilizing networks and resources for each
child, comprises moms, dads, caregivers, and the community which all
have an influence on creating a thriving, educated, and happy child. A
child in this type of environment is the genesis for tomorrow, and in
hind sight, that has begun with me. I realized an accomplishment in
myself (not just a dream) when a child came to me as an infant, left at
two years of age (on a sound foundation) and returned, nearly at the age
of six (from being educated in a private sector), still demonstrating
the basis of what was instilled in her from the beginning. Since I knew
the mother, the father, the uncle, and the grandmother, it allowed me to
effortlessly re-establish and create a developmental hierarchy for her.
In the future, I will continue to purse my Associate in Arts
Program for Early Childhood Management, commit to professional
development, and developmentally appropriate practice for children and
families in our program.
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