About GOAEYC
Mission Statement
Educate, support and collaborate with individuals and organizations working in direct or indirect service to young children. Provide services, which attract and involve a diverse and active membership. Advocate on behalf of the needs, rights and well being of young children and their families.
Goals
Improve the professional practice of early childhood education. Uphold high standards for professional development and working conditions for early childhood educators. Increase the understanding and support for high quality programs for young children and their families.

Who We Serve?

In Illinois we serve all of Lake County and the following Townships of Cook County; Barrington Township, Hanover Township, Palatine Township, Schaumburg Township, Wheeling Township, Elk Grove Township, Northfield Township, Maine Township, Leyden Township, New Trier Township, Niles Township, Norwood Park and Evanston. Please open the link for more details.

GoAEYC service area map with cities.pdf

History
In the fall of 1994, a group of early childhood professionals from the north-northwest suburban Cook County area began meeting with the intent of starting an AEYC affiliate. Representatives from various educational institutions and agencies attended these meetings. Discussion included the geographic region the affiliate would include, possible names, and the necessity of start-up funding.

In December 1994, it was determined that the geographic region targeted would include areas not covered by adjoining affiliates (Chicago Metro AEYC, DuPage AEYC, South Suburban AEYC and Fox Valley AEYC). Originally the name chosen for this new affiliate was “Greater O’Hare AEYC” or “GOAEYC”.

Membership in The Northwest Association of Nursery Schools (NANS) was decreasing and the board of this organization voted to dissolve the organization and give some of their money to GOAEYC. The NANS money was deposited in the Harper College Early Childhood Conference Fund, adding to proceeds from past conferences. This gave GOAEYC the seed money to operate a future conference and funding for a GOAEYC kick-off event at Harper College in the spring of 1995.

In early fall of 1995, GOAEYC, with 20 members, was notified that its temporary status had been rescinded. Chicago Metro AEYC had concerns about the organization’s boundaries and name. NAEYC directed the GOAEYC officers to meet with representatives of surrounding affiliates, establish boundaries, and get letters of support from them. A decision about whether to grant GOAEYC provisional affiliate status was to be made at the NAEYC board meeting at its annual conference in Washington in November 1995. Representatives from GOAEYC, DuPage AEYC, Fox Valley AEYC, Chicago Metro AEYC, and South Suburban AEYC met at Harper College. As a result of the meeting, agreement was reached on geographic boundaries and the name of the organization was changed to Golden Corridor Association for the Education of Young Children. Letters of support were faxed to the NAEYC office. GOAEYC was granted provisional affiliate status the next day at the NAEYC board meeting.

In July 1997, GOAEYC received full affiliate status from NAEYC.

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