Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Christian Victor Bautista | Sykes has committed her life to caring for others because it brings her joy. Her...... read more read more
New Gosport Childhood Development Center (CDC) Child and Youth Program Assistant Darlene Sykes has been working with military families for more than 42 years. She has spent most of her life caring and nurturing for others both at work and in her community.
“For over 40 years, Ms. Darlene has been a cornerstone in providing childcare to military families,” said Norfolk Naval Shipyard Installation Oversight Director Dr. Renee E. Grant. “Her dedication and compassionate care have supported countless families, ensuring their children receive the attention and nurturing they need while their parents serve our country.”
Sykes started her childcare journey in the Child Development Education Pilot Program (CDEP). Shortly after finishing the program, New Gosport Childhood Development Center had an opening and offered her a full-time position.
“A valuable asset to our program, Ms. Darlene has been instrumental in its success and growth,” said Grant. “It is an honor to recognize her extraordinary commitment and the impact she has had on our military families.”
“The best part about my job is seeing my babies in the morning, speaking with them, and caring for them,” said Sykes. “We read to the students, go outside and play, and provide a lot of hands-on activities and free play which is instrumental to their development.”
Sykes continued, “We care and nurture these kids because a lot of them go through challenges, especially when their parents are deployed. We have a family tree, and it has a picture of each child’s family. The kids will often go up to the tree and point to their family while saying ‘mommy…daddy’ and we say ‘yes, that’s your mommy and daddy’ and then we read stories to them about parents deploying and talk to the children about their feelings while their parents are away.”
Sykes cares for the kids and provides a nurturing environment by encouraging the students to be themselves. She has cared for so many children throughout her career that many are now returning as adults and bringing their own kids to the New Gosport CDC.
She comes in at 5:00 a.m. every day to set the rooms up at both the CDC and Youth Center and cleans off the tables to get all the classrooms ready for the day. It’s not a part of her job, but she does it to help support the staff at the New Gosport CDC. Sykes said they are a team and all work together to care for one another and the children.
Sykes has committed her life to caring for others because it brings her joy. Her compassion and kindness extend beyond the doors of the CDC as she has cared for family members and others in need. Besides caring for her community and family, Sykes loves cooking and her favorite recipe to prepare is seafood fried rice.
Sykes’ recipe for a joyful life is caring for others and showing them compassion, a lesson we can all learn from.
| Date Taken: | 10.08.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.15.2024 07:23 |
| Story ID: | 482977 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 182 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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