Head Start Awareness Month is a personal reflection for many of us. For some, it’s because of our work in government and our closeness and belief in the mission of equitable access to early education. For others, we have been a part of Head Start, as teachers, staff, or even children whose education began in a program. My experience as a Head Start kid empowers me to understand more intimately the impact the program can have.
Photo of DELC Employee Christina and her oldest child at the Oregon Zoo.
My mother worked in education. Her career began at Head Start when my brother joined the program for early intervention services to help with his speech delay. The program paid for her to get her GED and then hired her to help with speech services. She gained experience as a staff member and then worked for the Hillsboro School District as an assistant to a speech therapist. She worked in that role and transitioned to an Education Specialist, specializing in IEPs until she retired. I joined Head Start as a sibling to a qualifying kiddo, my brother.
I am the youngest of seven children, but my brother and I were the only children to attend Head Start, and both of us have chosen a career in public service. Today, I work at the Department of Early Learning and Care to ensure that other young children have access to early learning and care. My brother is now a skills trainer/QMHA for a program in the Portland area, helping those with behavioral health support needs to experience life as freely as possible.
Working for this agency as a Head Start kid feels full circle. I think about how my family’s life, my life, or my brother’s life could have been different if we didn’t have the access we had. I have spoken to other folks in government who are also Head Start kids. From one Head Start kiddo to others working in government – thank you for your service. It matters. Happy Head Start Awareness Month!
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