Motivated by her children and NPC, Ison achieves success through education.

Nominated for her dedication, service and professionalism while working in the field of Early Childhood Education, Tracy Ison is the recipient of the Northland Pioneer College Fall 2014 Outstanding Alumni Award.

At 16, Ison was faced with a difficult decision; she was starting a new family, was newly-married, and needed to decide between finishing high school or keeping her family as her top priority. Ison chose her family, and made the difficult decision to not finish high school.

“You know, I always wanted to be a mom,” said Ison. “That’s been my priority my whole life.” After her decision, Ison began the career of being a home child- care provider, opening her own business to help provide for her family.

After years of gaining experience and knowledge in child care, Ison came into contact with Claude Endfield, program coordinator and professor in Early Child-hood Education at NPC. Ison credits Endfield for “starting it all” and being the biggest help in obtaining the degrees and certifications she earned.

NPC Early Childhood Education professor Claude Endfield (left) and fall alumni award winner Tracy Ison.

Endfield first introduced Ison to NPC by recommending that Ison take advantage of a free workshop sponsored by NPC. After Ison attended the workshop, she consulted Endfield further on how to continue her education. “I knew I wanted to be an example to my kids. I wanted my kids to finish high school and then get degrees of their own.”

Endfield was always there encouraging Ison. “Claude told me ‘you know, you can get your GED,®’ and then after that I took the test and got my GED®! And she was still there telling me ‘you know you only have to do a little bit more to get your CDA,’ and then ‘you only have to do a little bit more to get your associate’s,’ always telling me about trainings and new certifications that I was able to do. She helped me to keep going further and further.”

That support helped Ison earn her GED®, her Child Development Associate credential, and then her associate degree in childhood education at NPC. Now with a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Prescott College, Ison takes pride in being the first college graduate on both sides of her family and is proud to apply what she has learned at NPC to her business of child care.

After obtaining her degrees, Ison remained in the White Mountains area and now has one of the highest rated, state-licensed group child-care homes in Navajo and Apache counties. Ison applied for, and was designated as a Quality First Family Child Care home by the First Things First Navajo-Apache Regional Partnership council. She is the only home with that distinction in the White Mountains and has earned a 4 out of 5 star rating from the partnership.

Ison has been able to apply what she learned from NPC and has made many improvements to her home-based child- care setting. Although Ison is now qualified to teach in the public school system, she has decided to continue to operate her family child-care business to meet local needs for safe, quality child care. Ison acknowledges that this journey has not been easy. Balancing her busy schedule of work, school and family definitely made Ison question at times whether it was all worth it. “There were days when I wanted to give up, but my kids were always my motivation,” said Ison.

And her hard work has paid off in a big way, and not only personally: her own children have all graduated or are on track to graduate from high school. One daughter has since gone on to obtain an associate’s degree in cosmetology and is now working toward receiving her own CDA. Another daughter in high school plans to go to college to pursue a degree to eventually become a surgeon.

Ison also feels the need to go back to school to earn her master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. “I’ve received so much help myself; I want to give back and help teach other adults how to take care of younger kids.” She’s eager to see what opportunities the future holds.

Do you know NPC alumni who deserve to be recognized? Nominate them! Fill out a nomination form on our website at: www.npc.edu/alumni-award-nomination-form

– Michael Nilsson