Parents play a vital role in advocating for expanded access to Head Start. Thank you Theresa Carter, Head Start parent from Step Forward Head Start in Ohio, for sharing your inspiring story at the Head Start Breakfast on Capitol Hill during this year’s Winter Leadership Institute.
I’m a Head Start parent and a foster parent. I have enrolled numerous children in the Head Start program in the past few years. Head Start has always offered our children the best opportunity for school readiness and, in fact, Head Start offers opportunities for the advancement of the entire family.
My initial connection with a Head Start program goes back to when I enrolled my now-29-year-old daughter. As a divorced parent then, I was struggling financially, trying to find work while going to school, and I am thankful I was able to enroll her in Head Start. The quality of education she received prepared her for kindergarten and beyond.
I want Head Start to always remain. That is why I am here, to advocate on behalf of those children to come, to ensure Head Start continues to be offered, and ensure it is freely available to those families in need.
I recall when I thought she was ready for kindergarten with her birthday being around the borderline for signup.I was pushing the school board to test her and let her start early, since I did as a child. Her Head Start teachers urged me to wait a year for more social and emotional development. I didn’t understand the importance of that decision at the time, but they were right. She blossomed in the following year, and then moved on to be successful in school and throughout her life. That showed me that I could trust Head Start’s judgment concerning my child.
Theresa Carter, Head Start parent from Step Forward Head Start in Ohio, meeting with Congressman Max Miller (OH-7).
I watched my children, who had a background trauma, begin to develop and to love learning. I watched them grow socially and cognitively. The Head Start program also nurtures parent engagement and provides support to parents based on their needs. I’ve been able to discuss everything from potty training, sleep issues, picky eating, to challenging behaviors due to trauma. I have always been able to work with my children’s teachers and form a strong partnership to address such difficulties.
For me, Head Start means family. It means growth. It means love. That has been my experience. In the past few years, I have learned so much about the Head Start program, and because of my experiences and learning, I love this program and I want every child in need to have a Head Start education experience. Because an organization such as Step Forward Head Start has valued my voice as a parent, I have been able to work side-by-side with the staff and administration for the benefit of the Head Start program.
I have served as a parent committee member and chair, a state representative for the policy council, and policy council chair. I have traveled to the conferences, met so many other parents and staff, and shared in their needs for this program. Current needs include such things as staff retention and training, continued support for quality curriculum, and the ability to meet the nutritional and other health-related needs of the children. There are children waiting to be served while classrooms are closed. These are immediate needs we must address! Another aspect we all share, program to program, parents, and staff, is that we all care. We care about the children and the future of Head Start.
I want Head Start to always remain. That is why I am here, to advocate on behalf of those children to come, to ensure Head Start continues to be offered, and ensure it is freely available to those families in need.
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