Story submitted by: Arishankery, Head Start parent 

Before Head Start, my son’s world was tiny — a world of incubators, oxygen tanks, and emergency alarms. Born at 25 weeks, weighing just one pound, he fought harder in his first minutes than most of us fight in a lifetime. But after surviving the NICU, he faced new battles: delayed speech, sensory overwhelm, and deep anxiety around new people and environments. As a Navy spouse with no family nearby and no U.S. network, I struggled to find support for him — or even for myself. Then we found Head Start.

Through patient teachers, structured learning, and a community that felt like home, my son blossomed. He went from clinging to me silently at drop-offs to racing into class with a bright smile and a backpack twice his size. He learned to speak, to make friends, to trust the world again. Because of Head Start, my little fighter isn’t just surviving — he’s thriving emotionally, socially, and academically. And as a mother, Head Start gave me something even rarer than hope: it gave me time and the strength to rebuild our lives.

When you lift a child, you lift a whole family. And when you lift a family, you change the future.

What I appreciate most about Head Start is that it gave my son — and our family — something no hospital, no therapy, and no textbook could: belonging. After months in the NICU, after endless doctors’ visits and speech delays, my son needed more than medical care. He needed a community that saw all of him — not just the charts or diagnoses — and helped him grow into who he was meant to be.

Head Start didn’t just teach him his ABCs. They taught him courage, routine, connection. Every teacher, every staff member built a bridge between my son’s early traumas and the joyful, thriving little boy he is today. I also appreciated the incredible communication, the individualized attention, and the way the program supported not just my son’s academic and emotional growth, but also my growth as a mother and advocate. Head Start didn’t just prepare my son for school — it prepared him for life. And it gave me the village I prayed for during the hardest nights.

Families should consider enrolling in Head Start because it is so much more than a program — it’s a lifeline. It’s a place where children are seen, heard, and celebrated for exactly who they are. Whether your child is struggling with speech, social skills, confidence, or simply needs a safe place to grow, Head Start wraps them — and you — in a net of support.

When my son, born impossibly early at just 25 weeks, entered Head Start, he was shy, overwhelmed, and delayed. Today, he’s running into his classroom with a grin, speaking with confidence, and dreaming bigger dreams than I ever dared hope. Head Start nurtures the whole child — emotionally, socially, cognitively — while empowering parents to find their own voice. It’s not just preparing children for kindergarten; it’s preparing them for the world. If you want your child to grow, to belong, and to thrive, Head Start isn’t just an option — it’s a gift. One I’ll be forever grateful I accepted.