Rod Tweet, the retired Amarillo Parks and Recreation Department head, will be honored as the 2018 Friend of Young Children.
Amarillo Mayor Ginger Nelson will present Tweet as the honoree during the Friend's Breakfast, scheduled for 8 a.m. April 19 in the Amarillo College Union Oak Room on the main campus.
To attend, RSVP to the AC Education Department at (806) 371-5188.
The breakfast honors Week of the Young Child, which is April 16-20, and pays tribute to people who teach, lead and serve young children. As city parks director, Tweet ensured park and playground facilities were accessible to children with disabilities. He was instrumental in installing the city's first disabled-accessible playground at Medi Park.
"When we talk about the role that outdoor play has in children's lives, that's where they get their strength and agility, and where they learn their personal strengths and wellness," AC Education Department chair Mary Clare Munger said of the importance of Tweet's work for children's development. "That is extremely important."
The Panhandle Association for the Education of Young Children, the Panhandle Early Childhood Educators and AC's childhood development and education departments host the annual event.
Mike Smith is a digital content producer for Panhandle PBS. Contact him at mike.smith@actx.edu, on Twitter at @newsmithm and on Facebook.
Learn Here is sponsored by Education Credit Union.
