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Teacher Recognized For Excellence With $10K Award

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A local preschool teacher Thursday was honored for her excellence in teaching with a $10,000 award.

The monetary award from Knowledge Universe was given to Veronica Brenes, who teaches at the UPC Child Development Center at USC.

"Veronica is one of 10 winners across the country out of about 28,000 Knowledge Universe teachers to win this award so it is enormous that she would be chosen," said David Roy of Knowledge Universe.

Knowledge Universe is the largest private provider of early childhood education and care in the country.

"If you talk to anyone at Knowledge Universe who has been in Veronica's classroom, they are so impressed by how she engages the children, how she finds out what is really interesting to each individual child," Roy said.

Brenes has done some incredible things for her students. She created an outdoor art studio with easels and tables for the kids, who had shown an interest in art.

"I really, really love nature and I believe that the children can learn through nature," Brenes said.

And although Brenes just received the check, she already has an idea of how she'll spend it.

"I actually go to school right now, so I'll probably pay off some of the loans from that," she said.

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