To the editor:

On May 18, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson stood in the White House Rose Garden to announce the creation of Head Start. Head Start laid the foundation for my future success in life, and today, as an educator and administrator, I see the life-changing impact Head Start continues to have on at-risk children and their families.

I grew up one of six children in Iola, where my father worked as a mechanic and my mother was a housekeeper and cook for other families in the community. They could not afford to enroll me in preschool, so when they heard about the new local Head Start program, they immediately enrolled me.

Head Start instilled in me a confidence and lifelong love of learning that would lay the foundation for my future success, both in school and in life. I went on to excel in school, graduating college and going on to obtain my master’s and doctoral degrees. Today. I am the associate dean of students and director of multicultural affairs at Baker University.  

I am convinced that when we are able to provide a quality early childhood education to our nation’s most vulnerable children, we will see more children are able to realize their full potential and go on to become contributing members of their communities.

So, as Head Start centers across the country plant rose bushes in celebration of 50 years of success, let’s renew our commitment to Head Start and plant the seeds for 50 more years of opportunity.