In Loving Memory of Amanda Schwartz

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Amanda Schwartz on September 30, 2025. Amanda served as Director of Scholarships at Child Care Aware® of Missouri, where she led the daily operations and expansion of the TEACH Early Childhood® Missouri Scholarship with unwavering dedication and vision for the past seven years.

Amanda was more than a leader. She was a mentor, a coach and a friend. Her passion for early childhood education was matched only by her belief in the power of people. She knew that by investing in educators, we invest in children, families, and the future of our communities. Her work helped thousands of early childhood professionals advance their education and careers, leaving an enduring legacy across Missouri.

Those who knew Amanda will remember her quick wit, warm laugh and unshakable sense of fairness. She led with both strength and compassion, being firm when she needed to be and always guided by empathy and understanding. Whether facing a challenge or celebrating success, Amanda approached each day with purpose, humor and heart.

Amanda’s impact will be felt for years to come in the classrooms she helped strengthen, in the professionals she empowered, and in the lives of the children whose futures she helped shape. She will be deeply missed, but her spirit, leadership and laughter will continue to inspire us all.

In honor of Amanda's years of dedication, Child Care Aware® of Missouri has created the Amanda Schwartz Scholarship Fund. Donations will be used to support master's certificate scholarships in her name. Amanda believed in the power of education and that TEACH Missouri needed to build into the future leadership in early childhood education. She led the charge in recruiting and enrolling participants in the master's certificate in Early Childhood Leadership and Business. This memorial fund will assist in keeping scholarships available to educators in the field Amanda so loved.

The donation link can be found at https://forms.donorsnap.com/form?id=2c916d97-652f-4708-a425-f55aba2b4d0c.