From a lifelong dream to an award-winning achievement: Dannielle Walker's journey

Some dreams stay with us, even when life takes us in a different direction.

For Dannielle Walker, becoming an early childhood teacher was one of those dreams. Although she first began studying towards her Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) in 2009, it would take more than 15 years, four children and countless life experiences before she finally crossed the graduation stage.

This year, that moment became even more special when she was presented with NZTC's Excellence in Programme Award for her Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education). On the same day, she also celebrated completing her Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Leadership and Management): "I wasn't expecting that award," Dannielle says. "It was a huge surprise and it was very emotional walking across that stage. I am honoured I was chosen and they saw good things in me."

Her journey into early childhood education began long before graduation.

As a child, she naturally gravitated towards younger children and babies, and after working in office administration, hospitality and retail management, she decided it was finally time to pursue a career in ECE.

Shortly after beginning her studies, however, a high-risk pregnancy meant she had to withdraw and focus on becoming a mother.

Years later, life took her in another direction when she studied Veterinary Nursing, driven by her love of animals. Although she found the work incredibly rewarding, she eventually realised the emotional demands of the profession were taking their toll.

It wasn't until the COVID-19 pandemic that she returned to the path she had first chosen.

"I never looked back," she says.

Even then, her journey wasn't straightforward. The birth of her son in 2022 meant another temporary pause before she returned once again to complete her degree.

Throughout it all, one thing never changed: her determination to keep moving forward.

Dannielle first enrolled with NZTC after colleagues recommended the College in 2008, when online learning was still a relatively new concept. Returning years later, she found the flexibility of studying online made it possible to balance family life with education in ways that simply wouldn't have been possible otherwise.

She studied while homeschooling her children during the COVID lockdowns, completed assessments late at night and on weekends, and continued learning while caring for sick children at home. Her children became part of the journey every step of the way.

"My children have seen me go from this solo mum doing everything on her own to a graduate who completed a Postgraduate Certificate and got an award for programme excellence," she says. "They were watching every time I got a distinction grade. They were watching through all the challenges."

Looking back, Dannielle hopes her perseverance has shown her children that no matter how difficult the journey becomes, finishing is always worth it.

She is particularly interested in brain development and psychology, believing that early childhood educators have the opportunity to positively shape children's lives from the very beginning.

Receiving the Excellence in Programme Award gave her a rare opportunity to pause and appreciate everything she had overcome. "When we get busy in life, we can forget to see good things in ourselves," she reflects. "I was just happy to graduate after this journey, so receiving the award was a next-level celebration."

The moment that stays with her most, however, happened after the ceremony: "My kids ran up to me saying how proud they were of me and how they saw me get an award. It was emotional."

She is equally grateful to the lecturers and pastoral support team at NZTC, whose compassion and encouragement helped her through some of life's most difficult moments. "I want to thank everyone at NZTC for seeing things in me that I didn't see in myself."

Although graduation marks the end of one chapter, Dannielle already knows another one will begin. She plans to continue studying with NZTC in the future. But first, she's embracing this season with her young family, the very people who inspired her to keep going from the very beginning.

For anyone considering taking the same path, her advice is simple: "This is a temporary journey, but it's worth every late night and every weekend. Aim for the moon, but don't forget to enjoy the stars on your way."