Crystal Mcdowell Awarded the Ron Herndon Head Start Parent Scholarship

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Crystal McDowell of the Head Start agency: Sunbelt Human Advancement Resources (SHARE), Inc. in Greenbelt, S.C. has been named the 2025 recipient of the Ron Herndon Head Start Parent Scholarship. The Parent Scholarship Award was recently presented at the National Head Start Association (NHSA) Conference and Expo.

The Ron Herndon Parent Scholarship was created to honor past NHSA Board Chair and lifelong activist Ron Herndon and his tireless efforts in championing for Head Start parents. It is given annually to a Head Start parent who has gone above and beyond in their community. This scholarship supports Head Start parents who, through their efforts to mobilize other parents and community members, have effected real change in their programs and communities. The reward includes a $2,500 scholarship to a matriculated institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

McDowell was recognized for her extraordinary devotion, enthusiasm, commitment to her child’s education, service to others, and perseverance in the face of adversity. As an active parent representative on SHARE’s board and religious leader in her community, McDowell connects individuals and resources that support the agency’s mission, is a constant presence in her child’s classroom, and is a vocal advocate for the agency, coordinating events and workshops, and promoting parental involvement. She has volunteered nearly 100 hours in Head Start classrooms and serves as vice president of the Parent Committee. 

Personally, McDowell worked with her family advocate to set educational goals that led her to complete an associate degree. She recently completed a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Psychology, which she will use to advance her community work through her nonprofit organization, Glory House, a reentry program for women leaving the prison system. During her time in college, she was an active member of her college’s Early Childhood Development Club and served on her community’s First Steps Advisory Board.  

“The National Head Start Association commends Crystal McDowell for her unwavering dedication to early learning and her commitment to empowering families within the Head Start community,” said Yasmina Vinci, executive director for the National Head Start Association. “Her efforts embody the spirit of the Ron Herndon Head Start Parent Scholarship and serve as an inspiration to others striving to make a lasting impact in their communities.”

For more information about the Ron Herndon Head Start Parent Scholarship and NHSA, visit nhsa.org/scholarships-and-awards/head-start-parent-scholarship.