“I’ve been with Head Start for 12 years, three with United Children and Family Head Start. My desire to work for Head Start began during college. I worked with Head Start as I was finishing up my bachelor’s degree in family studies at Western Michigan University. I chose Head Start because they cater to the inner-city child: You just have to be low-income and live near the school in order to be a part of a Head Start program that serves children from birth to age 5.
I would recommend a career with Head Start because of all the benefits. You can see the staff and children grow throughout the years. A lot of the children that lived in this neighborhood always come back and they say, “I remember being in that school! I remember you!” The staff have obtained degrees, and you can say, “Wow, I remember when you just started,” and now you have a CDA, associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree. They’re working it all out.
I have my National Family Life Education certificate, and I am looking forward to getting my master’s degree in counseling at Spring Arbor University.
I like UCFHS because it’s a smaller agency. It’s more like a family. Most of the folks that work here have been here for a lot of years, and that experience helps me with my day-to-day duties. The most rewarding part of my job is in the morning, greeting the children and parents as they’re walking in every day: “It’s Monday!” or “Happy Spring!” They really enjoy it, and I like that.”
