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ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
June 3, 2025
To remember, honor, and celebrate the life of Maurice Sykes, a beloved early childhood educator
and an iconic figure in the field of early childhood education.
WHEREAS, Mr. Sykes, a graduate of Mont Pleasant High School in Schenectady, New
York, Wilberforce University, and Antioch University graduate school, and a longtime Ward 1
resident, began his career as a teacher, a role that ignited his passion for early education; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sykes served as the Director of the Tufts University Educational Day
Care Center and as a Lecturer in the Elliot -Pearson Department of Child Study and Human
Development; and
WHEREAS, throughout his career, Mr. Sykes held significant roles within the District of
Columbia Public School System, including Deputy Superintendent for the Center for Systemic
Educational Change and Director of Early Childhood Programs, served as an advisor to the U.S.
Education Department on policies related to urban school improvement, and ultimately served as
Director of the Early Childhood Leadership Institute at the University of the District of Columbia;
and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sykes was selected as a National Policy Fellow by the Institute for
Educational Leadership, and later coordinated its D.C. Education Policy Fellowship program; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sykes was profiled as an Early Childhood Champion in a national study
by the National Association of State Boards of Education and is a former governing board member
of the National Association for the Education of Young Children which recently recogni zed him
for his impact on early childhood education; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sykes was awarded the Dumbarton Arts & Education’s Charles A. Miller
Distinguished Service Award, and he is a proud recipient of the Marjorie Holloman Parker
Distinguished Educator Award; and
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WHEREAS, Mr. Sykes’ influential writings, Doing the Right Thing for Children: Eight
Qualities of Leadership, and the co-edited volume Child Care Justice: Transforming the System
of Care for Young Children, reflect his unwavering commitment to advocating for high- quality
early childhood education for all children; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sykes’ contributions to the field were recognized with the Marjorie
Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator Award from the University of the District of Columbia,
and he was proudly inducted into the D.C. Hall of Fame Society; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sykes played an instrumental, hands -on role in the creation and
development of DC Men in ECE—a visionary initiative dedicated to empowering men of color in
the early education workforce; and
WHEREAS, he fought tirelessly against inequality, championing access to quality
programs for every child, regardless of background, and his work inspired countless individuals to
become change agents within the early childhood education system and will leave a lasting impact
on future generations.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, T hat this
resolution may be cited as the “Maurice Sykes Memorial Recognition Resolution of 2025”.
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes , honors, and remembers and
the life of Mr. Maurice Sykes, his significant contributions to the field of early childhood
education, and his impact on the lives of countless children in D.C. and across the country.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.