Awarded in May 2008
Perky’s World of Children received the Wayne County Schools Career Center Outstanding Business Partner. Receiving this award was administrator and owner Perky Davis. Nominating Perky’s for the award was Early Childhood Education and Care senior instructor Debra McDonald.
Perky’s opened in 1972 in Wooster, and over the years, has hired more than 50 Career Center graduates. Perky Davis’ first assistant was Peg Johnson Boldman, from the Career Center’s first childhood education class, then called Child Care. Peg Boldman is now a Distinguished Alumna of the Career Center. Laurie Boley, who has been at Perky’s since 1983, is now staff coordinator. Julie Leathers, administrative assistant at Perky’s, is also a Career Center Distinguished Alumna.
Perky’s World of Children has hired graduates and students, has members serving on advisory committees, and participates in internships and field stations for Early Childhood Education and Care students. Perky’s provides many services to the Career Center, including field trips, guest speakers, job shadowing sites and mentoring. They have also provided judges for contest, equipment and items for Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA).
Perky Davis served on the Ohio Department of Education panel to write competencies for early childhood education and wrote the entrepreneurial skills segment as well for the entire state. She also was co-chair of the Career Center renewal levy in 1991.
“Perky’s World of Children has provided a field site experience for early childhood students for over 30 years,” said Deb McDonald. “The teachers in this center train and mentor high school students two days a week for the entire school year. Both Perky and her employees have served on our advisory committees, been judges and both regional and state Family, Career and Community Leaders of America competitions, provided past graduates for sophomore visit presentation and have hired many of our graduates.”
“In the early childhood field, teacher turnover is often quite high, yet Perky continues to hire our graduates, who in turn, stay with her for many, many years. At any given time, 50 to 75 percent of her employees have been graduates from the Career Center. She is a great supporter of our school and this program, and her employees contribute in so many ways.”