The John Cary Early Childhood Center has received a second-place honor from the FutureBuilders Early Childhood Program of the Year competition.

The award was presented Saturday to John Cary Early Childhood Center Director Ann Westbrook at the Missouri School Boards’ Association annual conference at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Districts have to be members of MSBA to be eligible, and the application focuses on the early childhood center’s use of innovation and community engagement, according to a news release. The first-place award went to Springfield Public Schools, and the third-place place award went to Raytown.

“It is such an honor to be recognized at the state level for the incredible work early childhood does in regards to supporting families and engaging the community,” Westbrook stated in the release.

Along with its main facility on Koch Road, the John Cary Early Childhood Center has satellite classrooms in five of the district’s 10 elementary schools.