Everyone loves feel good story about where someone is from and how they got there. And majority of those, that person says "Never forget where you come from" or something to that effect. While my life's journey hasn't been very interesting in any outrageous way, there are situations and events that have affected the person I have become. Here is just one of those things:
"The Head Start Program is a program of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families. The program's services and resources are designed to foster stable family relationships, enhance children's physical and emotional well-being, and establish an environment to develop strong cognitive skills. The transition from preschool to kindergarten imposes diverse developmental challenges that include requiring the children to engage successfully with their peers outside of the family network, adjust to the space of a classroom, and meet the expectations the school setting provides."
Did you know that Head Start began funding a program that eventually became Sesame Street? In 2011 the federal budget for the Head Start Program was $8.1 billion. After a couple years of reduced funding, the Head Start program is slated for $8.6 billion in 2014. Head Start was one of the programs initiated by LBJ's Great Society campaign which aimed to eliminate poverty and racial injustice.
Both of my siblings and I attended the Head Start Program in Cranston, RI. There are disputes on whether there are long term benefits of the federal program but there are undoubtedly positive short term results. Improvements come in vocabulary, social behavior, and improved relationships with parents. I would like to remember those days in Head Start but I cannot; I've been told I stole a big wheel from another student. As a result of not remembering much of the experience (unlike some of my peers), I can't express how it has impacted my life but it probably helped transition being around people outside my family. Though I was always been a shy person; this didn't begin to fade until late in high school.
While the effectiveness of the Head Start Program is controversial, it may instill positive characteristic traits in those children and build a sense of community (especially for low-income families that may not have the opportunity otherwise). For me, the program is something is responsibility for who I am. I am thankful for the opportunity it gave my family and me. Knowing that I was given the chance to partake in the program is just one of numerous reasons I have developed to be someone who likes to give back (I like to think). I don't know whether majority of Head Start participants believe similar thoughts, but of the people I know that went to Head Start, turned out to be tremendous individuals. (Of course this may be because I've surrounded myself with outstanding people)
What's your take on the Head Start Program?