Story submitted by: Joyce, Head Start parent and staff

Back in 1987, I lived in a small community called Orange Cove, California, located southeast of Fresno near the foothills. It was mostly made up of farm workers, and I was one of them, picking oranges in the fields. To be able to work, I needed to enroll my son in preschool, so I signed him up for the Orange Cove Head Start EOC Program. As a parent, I had to volunteer, and sometimes I would skip work to complete the required hours. I ended up enjoying the volunteer work so much that I went beyond the required hours, completing a total of 62 hours.

One teacher inspired me and suggested I should consider becoming a preschool teacher. While I loved the idea, I couldn’t afford to take classes at the time. Eventually, I became a single parent of two children and moved to Reedley, California, where I worked in fruit packing houses. By then, my oldest son was in elementary school, and I wanted to enroll my second son, who was three, in Head Start. I thought Head Start had helped me before, so maybe they could help me again.

Although there was a waiting list, my son qualified for home visits from educators. They would come to our home, work on skills with my child, and teach me how to support his learning. The more I saw, the more I liked. I was honored to be asked to join an interview panel for Head Start because the program had helped me so much, and I wanted to give back to the community that had supported me and my children.

As I became more involved with Head Start, my desire to be part of this community grew. At the time, I was on Section 8 housing assistance, and Fresno Housing Authorities had a “Self-Sufficiency” program. It helped low-income families like mine, who were on aid, to set educational goals. They paid for my child care so I could go to school. I enrolled in Reedley College and began my journey by taking child development courses.

With determination and the support of those around me, I earned enough credits to apply for a preschool teaching position at Migrant Head Start, a seasonal job from April to October. As a single parent, I worked part-time and went to school part-time. I held onto the encouragement that my son’s Head Start teacher had given me when she saw my potential as a parent volunteer. The Reedley Head Start home visitors also inspired me.

The Head Start community made me feel valued, and it’s because of them that I am who I am today. They helped me see something in myself that I hadn’t noticed before. They inspired and empowered me to become a self-sufficient educator in the early childhood field. Now, I understand why it’s important for families to be involved in the Head Start community. It helps them become empowered, self-sufficient leaders and advocates for their children and their education.

Every child and family that comes into a Head Start classroom is important. They bring valuable knowledge, skills, and experiences that shape the culture of each classroom. As an Early Childhood educator, I am honored to be part of this community, this family, and this culture.

I started as a Migrant Head Start teacher, and later became a Head Start teacher. Today, I’m a Head Start teacher and curriculum coach. While there isn’t a lot of money in this field, I’m here to make a difference in the lives of families, children, and now, teachers. I love sharing my experiences and knowledge, and I’m passionate about helping parents, children, and staff grow in their understanding of the Head Start program.

We build up our families so they and their children can have better lives, better education, and better opportunities—things that lower-income families often don’t get the chance to experience. Head Start is a successful program because it works! It promotes self-sufficiency, education, advocacy, and empowerment, improving the lives of families and children for the betterment of society.
I have the deepest respect and gratitude for this program, and how it has lifted me to where I am today as an early childhood educator, leader, and advocate for the Head Start program.