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                                                                                     Leslie's Story

My name is Leslie Cruz. I’m 17 years old and I have a 7 month-old daughter. Her name is Isabella Cruz. While I was in Temple High School, Isabella was attending Early Head Start’s great center located in the Edwards Academy building close to school. The caregivers there are very nice. Ever since I met Ms. Brandee she would always encourage me to do my work and worry about my school work. In January, I started going to Edwards Academy, the alternative education center, and I was closer to the Early Head Start Center. While there, I was going to have to get my credits to be able to finish school faster.

There was not one day that went by that they wouldn’t tell me, “Get those credits done!"  We would talk about going to college and my future career. That’s why I love them very much and I’m very thankful that they were there to encourage me to get my work done. There was one time that the principal was going to kick me out, but she gave me one chance--but I couldn’t miss any more days. Mrs. Aguilar (the Head Start Family & Community Advocate—FCA) was on me because of that. I love Mrs. Aguilar—she is very nice. The thing that I love the most is that she loves my daughter. I can tell because of the way she is with her. I’m very thankful they are there to help. If it weren’t for them, I guarantee you that I would have dropped out of school because I wouldn’t have had anybody to watch my baby. Thank God they were there.  So the “Get those credits done” that they would say got to me and stayed in my head. Now, I have finished my course work and will be graduating soon. My daughter really enjoyed being in Early Head Start. Because of them, my baby likes it when I read to her. She has learned a lot with them.

 

LETTER FROM A GRATEFUL MOTHER

Friday, April 13, 2018

To whom it may concern:

Hello, my name is Lucretia M. Howard. I am a parent at the Killeen Downtown Head Start. My children, LaNiaya and JaSean Monroe, are twins that have severe speech delays. I was hesitant to enroll them in Head Start because of their delay, but after speaking with Ms. Lisa Taylor at the facility, I did—and it was the best decision I could have made. When my daughter LaNiaya started, she was only saying maybe 10 to 15 words at home and after this short school year—with the help of her teachers Mrs. Veronica Adams and Ms. Melodi—she began to sign and gesture more at home. Because 4C works with the speech therapist for Killeen Independent school district, Mrs. Robin, and the therapist from Care Options for Kids, Ms. Christina, she is now talking in two and three word phrases. She is clear in what she says and she is saying a LOT! (Her big brother is less happy with that! LOL) I am so grateful for the time and energy that they have all shown my child.

A Very Thankful Parent,

Ms. Lucretia Howard.

 

                                          RYANE'S (and Ayana's) HEAD START STORY

After being put on the waiting list for what seemed like forever, my daughter's name finally came up. It was September 2010 when I received the phone call. I quickly jumped at the opportunity to enroll my daughter in Head Start. I chose Sunset Head Start because it was closest to my home and relatively small.

 

Day One:  I took my daughter to school and was impressed from the start when her teacher welcomed us and showed my daughter where and how to wash her hands. The teacher showed my daughter where to sit for breakfast and I went into the office to fill out paperwork. I was in the office for about an hour before I came out. My daughter, who thought I had left, saw me and said, "Mommy, go back home. I'm not ready to go yet!"

 Week One:     My daughter was completely embracing the Head Start experience by the end of week one. The most notable difference was her ability to sit at the dinner table and use manners. By the end of week one she was setting the table and saying things like, "please pass the milk!" It was amazing because up to that point she never wanted to sit through dinner, much less ask for us to pass something.

 Present:      My daughter was a part of the Head Start family for a year and a half and I have seen so much growth. She has an imagination that I often struggle to understand, but at Head Start she was always encouraged to explore and express her imagination. She learned invaluable socialization and coping skills that I could not easily provide for her at home. Her speech has improved tenfold and continues to improve daily. She is just a happier, healthier, better rounded child because of Head Start. In the classroom, they often role play to teach the children different concepts, jobs, and ideas. Not long after she started at Head Start they played "Hospital" and now wants to be a doctor when she grows up. Since that day she has consistently said she wants to be a doctor because she wants to help people. I nurture this idea and hope that a seed has been planted that will grow strong. It is rare these days that anyone would want to be a doctor to help people. Most people only see dollar signs. Although she may be too young to understand the relationship between doctors and money she was quick to pick up on helping others.

               For Me:        Head Start helped me grow as a parent and as a person. The first thing that Head Start did was help me identify my goals.  At the time my goals were to go back to school and move from my apartment into a house. After putting my goals on paper and signing that paper I felt more compelled to accomplish them. I moved into a home with a back yard last year. I started school in October 2010 and now have my Bachelor's Degree in Business, concentrating on green and sustainable enterprise management! I spend a lot time talking about businesses and meetings at school and because of Head Start, I am able apply these concepts to real world experiences. I am the Central Texas 4C, Inc. Head Start Policy Council President and consequently a member of the Board of Directors. Head Start has given me knowledge, skill, confidence, and experience that I otherwise would not have been able to receive. I look forward to continuing my relationship with Head Start even now that my daughter has moved on.

Keep these amazing WINDOWS of OPPORTUNITY open. They touch so many lives. To close even one WINDOW of OPPORTUNITY would do the community a great disservice.

Ryane Postell, Parent

February 28, 2013

 

 Every Day & Every Year is a New Experience

 

 

I have been a Head Start parent for over a decade now. My daughter, Jamyia, attended when she was 3 years old and my son, J’mori, recently attended last year. When my daughter attended Killeen Head Start, I was a parent and community representative and volunteer.  I was able to be a part of the curriculum by eating breakfast and lunch with my daughter, helping with celebrations, and assisting teachers in the classroom.  I was also able to enjoy outdoor activities like attending parades and field trips.  She is older now and is a great reader. She takes honor courses, and has received commendations for her scores on the TAAS,TAKS, and STARS tests.  I am so very thankful because I believe it started with the education and learning environment provided by Head Start.  My daughter is also involved in special courses, for example, AVID and TeenLeadership that will allow her to prepare for a higher level of education, whether it is a certified certificate program, a community college, and/or a university. I think her school readiness began when she was a 3 year old attending the Head Start program.

                 Thank You!