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When I was very young my parents divorced. The divorce took a toll on my mother financially and she decided to go back to college to finish her degree. At the time my older brother and I were considered at-risk children. My mother was told by a social service employee that, based on statistics, by the time my brother was eighteen he would be in jail and by the time I was sixteen I would be pregnant.
Although I was fortunate to live in a wealthy suburb, there was not much assistance offered for low income families. However, Head Start was offered and my brother and I were both enrolled. Today, my brother has his Engineering degree from the University of Michigan. I earned my Masters degree in Social Work from Wayne State University. My mother gives a great deal of credit for our success to the Head Start program and the wonderful teacher we both shared. [click here for mom's Success Story]
I believe in Head Start so much that, as a social worker, I have been searching for a job working with Head Start, so I can give back to a program that gave so much to me. All children deserve an equal opportunity at the best life possible. Sometimes at-risk children need a little extra help. Head Start is that extra help. It provides a child with a structured day, nutritional snacks, early education and social contact that the child may not be able to receive due to their life circumstances.
It is also important to give credit to the Head Start teachers. Without the wonderful teachers, Head Start would not be as successful as it is today. I have very many fond memories of my head start teacher. She cared about my well-being, both in and out of the classroom. So if Mrs. Chris Ebert who taught at Roosevelt Elementary in Keego Harbor, MI is reading this, I would like to say "Thank you!"
Sincerely,
Tracy Cullen
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