Grant increases enrollment to local Head Start program

The class of 4-year-olds were having a great time at the Head Start Center in Aiken on Monday - playing with toy cars and puzzles, "cooking" plastic food and dressing up as police officers and firefighters.

"The kids are adjusting real well with it being their first day," said teacher Maria Davenport.

Thanks to federal stimulus funds, the Aiken-Barnwell Head Start program has been awarded slots for 41 additional children - 20 at the Aiken facility and 21 at the Gloverville center. Executive Director Shadie Hall applied to the Head Start office in Washington, D.C., for a two-year grant.

"It was based on our initial waiting list of 80 to 90 children," she said. "That clearly showed we could provide services for more children and their families with additional funding. There's still a major need for preschool services."

The stimulus also allowed Hall the opportunity to hire seven new staffers. Davenport and Yolanda Tyler are veteran instructors, with Davenport closing in on 20 years with Head Start.

At around 11 a.m. Monday, one little girl was crying over separation issues. Ten minutes later, she was sitting in Davenport's lap and writing and drawing contentedly.

"We're introducing the centers and getting acquainted with the kids and their parents," Davenport said. "We'll spend about two weeks giving the kids the basics of being in the classroom and then we'll start with the instructional part."

Hall said she met some happy parents Monday morning, many of them working during the day and others who are in school.

"That's the important thing, that we can provide quality childcare for them," she said.

Hall acknowledged that the funding will expire in September 2011. She hopes the allocation can continue through her agency's regular grant appropriation at that time.

Head Start helps prepare kids for kindergarten in the public schools, Davenport said.

"It's rewarding to see our kids making the A/B honor roll and going on to college," she said. "Some are now Head Start teachers."

Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.