BLOOMFIELD, CT, October 21, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Carol Pendray has been recognized for achievement in education.

Ms. Pendray's most recent professional chapter began in 2004, when she became the assistant director of Power to Read, a grant-funded private reading program based in East Hartford, Connecticut. Over the course of 15 years, until her retirement during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Ms. Pendray played an instrumental role in shaping the program's direction and impact.

Notably, the initiative paired elementary school students who were testing below grade level with dedicated volunteer tutors, most of whom were professionals from Pratt & Whitney. Ms. Pendray was responsible for training tutors, matching them with students and providing direct tutoring herself whenever needed. Under her leadership, the program evolved significantly. In less than 10 years, she and her colleagues developed new comprehension-based materials and rewrote the curriculum to better serve both children and educators. This accomplishment stands as a source of great pride for Ms. Pendray, reflecting her commitment to educational excellence and community engagement.

During this same period from 2004 to 2020, Ms. Pendray and her colleagues ran the above-mentioned Power to Read program at Hockanum, Goodwin and Silver Lane Elementary schools with a continued focus on supplemental reading support for struggling students, demonstrating her dedication to literacy advancement within the East Hartford community.

Before her involvement with Power to Read, Ms. Pendray held several positions that shaped her expertise in early childhood education. She worked at Capitol Child Development Center as the Head Teacher of the infant room, where she managed teacher assistants, developed lesson planning, and provided nurturing and daily documentation for a group of over 15 infants. Before this, she was both an Educational Consultant and head teacher at Harbor Early Learning Center in West Hartford, Connecticut. In this capacity, Ms. Pendray oversaw daily teaching activities for preschoolers and collaborated with colleagues to ensure high-quality programming for infants and toddlers across three classrooms. As an Educational Consultant, she traveled to seven early learning centers throughout the Hartford area to monitor curriculum implementation and safety standards.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Pendray was a co-teacher at Children's Corner at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Massachusetts, where she organized a developmental curriculum for two-year-olds, many of whom were children of hospital employees, and fostered a vibrant learning environment alongside her co-teacher. Her experience also included working at Washington Beach Preschool in inner-city Boston, where she joined a pilot project converting part of a housing development into a preschool for underserved families. This role allowed Ms. Pendray to build strong relationships with children facing significant challenges and their families, deepening her understanding of community needs.

Ms. Pendray's journey began shortly after graduating from college when she accepted her first position working with a toddler program in Burlington, VT. She later joined Washington Beach Preschool before expanding her professional development through workshops sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children, organizations with which she remains actively involved.

In preparation for her future, Ms. Pendray studied at the University of Vermont in Burlington, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. She graduated with Honors and a renewed clarity about her career path. She credits her parents, family and upbringing as one of six siblings, as well as participation in a high school nursery school program, with inspiring her lifelong passion for working with young children. The support of her family has been integral throughout Ms. Pendray's journey. She acknowledges that encouragement from her husband and parents enabled her to pursue each opportunity fully.

Beyond her professional commitments, Ms. Pendray has demonstrated an enduring dedication to civic service. She volunteers on the Luminary committee for the Aurora Foundation, an organization focused on supporting women and girls to improve economic security, educational development and leadership opportunities in downtown Hartford. She volunteers at The House of Bread and contributes to community relations programs and blood drives. Ms. Pendray's civic involvement has been recognized through honors such as the Daughters of the American Revolution Citizenship award.

Ms. Pendray continues to seek meaningful ways to contribute to others' lives. She is eager to return as a NICU cuddler, supporting parents whose babies face long-term illnesses or are born prematurely. Throughout every stage of her career and personal life, Ms. Pendray has remained steadfastly committed to making a difference through education, volunteerism and compassion for others.

# # #