50 Years of Opportunity
Head Start Celebrates Decades of Success
For fifty years, Head Start has continued to be the leading model for providing young children with opportunities for success in school and in life through early childhood programs. Since the summer of 1965, more than 31 million children have benefited from Head Start’s comprehensive services.
These children have grown up to become business women and men, professors, teachers, lawyers, mayors, members of Congress, athletes, foundation presidents, Grammy-winning musicians, poets, and parents.
Southwest Human Development’s Early Head Start and Head Start Programs
Our Head Start and Early Head Start programs are free, comprehensive child development programs in the Balsz, Creighton, Madison Park, Osborn, or Paradise Valley school districts and at Educare Arizona.
Head Start serves low-income children from birth through kindergarten, their families and expectant mothers. High-quality education and a wide array of services combine to help children enter school ready to learn.
Did You Know?
- Head Start kindergartners show substantial increases in word knowledge, letter recognition, math skills, and writing skills in comparison to national norms.
- Head Start children are significantly more likely to complete high school and attend college than those who did not attend Head Start.
- Adults who attended a quality early childhood program are about three times as likely to be homeowners by age 27 compared to those who did not.
- Head Start parental involvement contributes to their positive growth and upward mobility.
Sofia’s Story
Sofia was a shy little girl who had a speech delay. She had trouble communicating verbally and she often played by herself. Her mother, Manuela, a physical education teacher at Creighton Elementary School, is the main source of income for the family and her father, Juan, is a stay-at-home dad waiting to establish his residency.
Manuela and Juan enrolled Sophia in Southwest Human Development’s Head Start program, which offers high-quality education and a wide array of services to help prepare children for success in school and life.
Through the Head Start program, Sofia’s speech was quickly evaluated and speech therapy was provided. Head Start teachers worked with Sofia and her family to help her develop her social skills. Sofia went on to lead group activities and actively participates in classroom routines.
Soon after enrolling Sophia in the program, Juan and Manuela became volunteers, participated in the Head Start program, and valued the opportunities and comprehensive services this program offers for children and their families.
