Uplifting Stories

When I think about uplifting stories in my work over the years I think to the impact Head Start program has made to the State of Alaska and especially the Bering Strait region in Alaska.

The foundation of Head Start is based on the research to help disadvantaged groups, compensating for inequality in social or economic conditions.  When I think about the work I had done in working with Head Start I think of one mother our program worked with starting 5 years ago.  When I first met G.T. she was a single mother with no high school diploma.  Her son with special needs was enrolled in our program.  She told me she wanted to work in our program.  I told her that she needed to get her GED.  We worked with her in setting her goals.  By the end of the school year she had gotten her GED and was hired as a teacher aide the following school year.  She then got her CDA and told me she wanted to get her AA degree in ECE.  She has continued to take college classes and only needs 4 more classes to complete her AA degree in ECE.  This is quite an accomplishment when 5 years ago she didn't even have a high school diploma.  She continues to work for the Head Start program but as a family advocate now.  She is now helping other parents with their goals.  Our program was able to help her accomplish her goals and she is now setting an example for her own children in showing that when you put your mind to it your goals can be accomplished. 

To find out of the history of Head Start check out this website http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs/about/history-of-head-start 

Personal Research Journey

I have chosen to research the impacts of 2nd and 3rd hand smoke on children ages 3 and 4 years old.
I chose this topic because of my experience in Head Start.  Many of our staff are smokers.  They smoke before class and during their breaks.  The staff are also a majority of former or current parents of children enrolled in Head Start.    We have heard that that 2nd hand smoke is bad for children and more studies are coming out now about 3rd hand smoke.  How do we inform parents and staff of the research?  We are going to have to change years of thinking in regards to smoking...yes many parents now smoke outside instead of inside the house but there is still an impact of how 2nd and 3rd hand smoke impacts children. 

I think that this is going to be interesting and a struggle for me as I do not like doing research.  Do any of you struggle with this? 

Have any of you run into this problem in your programs?  We are a smoke free facility but staff go and smoke off campus.    Do you have any policies and or research that you would like to share on being a smoke free facility and why you are a smoke free facility?

I have a ton of links to resources to the right - early childhood organizations, parent resources and Head Start.