Fort Smith Times

Annette Lauver had a resume full of things that made her perfect for her new role as director of the Little Lions Child Development Center at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith.

“We chose Annette because of her passion for the importance of high-quality early childhood education,” said Dr. Shelli Henehan, professor, assessment coordinator and director of Early Childhood Education. “The fact that she also has a wealth of experience in teaching, special education, and then early childhood education is a bonus!”

Education runs deep in Lauver’s life. Her mother spent 54 years as a public school teacher; her oldest daughter teaches elementary music education at Putnam City Schools outside Oklahoma City; and her third daughter is a STEM educator who also teaches gifted students at Putnam City Schools. Her second daughter and her husband are NICU nurses, the former at Mercy, the latter at Baptist. Rounding out the family, Lauver’s son is a youth pastor in Houston, and her husband (whom she describes as bi-vocational) is pastor of the River Valley Church of the Nazarene.

So when Lauver says her family loves children and loves to serve, it is easy to believe her.

Lauver grew up in Florida and studied education at Florida State University. When she graduated, she moved to Montana, where her sister lived. She met her husband there. Their journey in ministry took the couple to Florida, Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

Then in 2016, the Lauvers’ first grandchild was born, and like so many grandmothers before, Annette Lauver adjusted her life.

“I decided to really turn my focus to early childhood,” Lauver said. Soon, she opened Sunshine Christian Academy at River Valley Church of the Nazarene.

While directing the preschool for children 3-5 years old, Lauver cared for her mother. When her mom passed in December, Lauver was glad to see that UAFS was looking for someone to direct its new child development center.

Original source can be found here.