I believe that I am the first child ever enrolled in Headstart. My mother, Clara Reddick informs me that after our family moved to the Southend of Boston in 1964, she later worked as a volunteer with a gentleman named Mel King, who managed the "Southend Settlement House" along with Martin Gopen, Noah and Patricia Day. I believe Mr. King and Mr. Day later worked in city government in Boston. The Settlement House, located at 48 Rutland Street, was where pre-school aged kids went for play and early education. In 1965 it became the first HeadStart program in the country. After my mother signed me up, she and Mrs. Day canvassed the neighborhood for other children, where at least five others along with me became the inaugural HeadStart class. Today, I am a successful high school principal with an array of other talents including writing, painting, and public speaking. I attribute much of my success to the early learning I got from HeadStart, and a mother determined to see her children get a quality education.
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