On the recordMay 16, 2019
Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to the countless men and women in Alaska and across the Nation who have dedicated their talents to ensuring that young children and their parents have the tools they need to succeed. I speak of all those involved in their local Head Start and Early Head Start programs, the program directors, teachers, aides, and parent leaders. This week marks the 54th anniversary of Head Start and the 25th anniversary of Early Head Start. Since 1964, more than 36 million children have participated in Head Start, a program that research has shown reduces intergenerational poverty by helping parents to gain parenting, work, and leadership skills and which gives young children at risk the academic, health, and nutritional services they need to build a foundation for success. Children who attend Head Start begin school with better literacy, numeracy, cognitive, and behavioral skills than they otherwise would have had. They are more likely to graduate and complete college. They are more likely to live healthy, productive lives as adults. Today, Head Start alumni are strong, resilient individuals who make positive contributions to their communities as doctors, nurses, athletes, parents, entrepreneurs, teachers, police officers, CEOs, authors, artists, and more. Head Start and Early Head Start are more important now than they ever have been, helping families across the country so tragically hurt by the opioid crisis.…
Source
govinfo.gov




