- Ever wonder why somebody
doesn’t do something about im-
proving poor academic perfor-
mance? Head Start, a nation-
wide program for young
children of low-income families
does just that! Not a give-away
or welfare program, Head Start
provides social and educational
experiences where it really
counts-with young children.
The family, which is perceived
as principal influence on the:
child’s development, must be a
direct participant in the pro-
. gram as well. So the children
quite often, even four or five
years old, become teachers
themselves. Because one thing
we often forget is how much
education a small child can br-
ing home to a parent who may
not have ever been blessed with
the opportunity to read a good
book, to hear good music, or to
feel their own worth among
other human beings.
October has been designated
as Head Start Awareness
Month. Programs across the
nation will be celebrating Pro-
ject Head Start’s 17th Anniver-
sary. This is our opportunity to
emphasize the positive impact
that Head Start has in each
community on the lives of
children and families. Thus, the
theme--Touching Children,
Reaching Families, Involving
Communities--supports and
“proclaims our mission.
Project Head Start ‘is ad-
ministered by the Administra-
tion for Children, Youth and
Families within the Depart-
ment of Health and Human
Services. Nationally, Head
Start has received considerable
attention due to research fin-
dings documenting the pro-
gram’s lasting effects on
children. Twelve major studies
found that children enrolled in
Head Start and similar pro-
grams 12 years ago are far less
likely to be held back a grade or
assigned to special educftion
classes than low-income
children who did not attend an
early childhood program.
Children who had gone
through Head Start and other
similar programs--many of
them now in college-also
scored higher in math, had
stronger self-concepts and
parents with greater expecta-
tions of their children’ Ss poten-
tial.
Over the past 17 years, Head
Start has launched a series of
experimental programs to im-
prove series to families, some of
which have been adopted by
local programs. These
demonstrations include centers
for families with children from
infancy to age three; programs
that use home visitors to work
with parents and children at
home; projects that enroll the
entire family; and programs
linking Head Start centers to
elementary schools.
Across the nation, there are
currently 1,262 programs in
operation. This includes 37
Parent and Child Centers, 93
Indian and 24 Migrant Pro-
grams. In 1981 there were
387,300 children served by the
project. A total of 8,269,400
children have been served since
1965.
Since 1972, Head Start has
also mounted a major effort to
serve handicapped preschoolers
reaching 45,430 or 12 percent
of all children enrolled in full-
year programs in the 1980-81
program year.
Head Start is currently serv-
ing approximately one out of
five of the eligible low-income
pre-school children. At least
90% of those enrolled are from
families who have incomes at
or below the Federal poverty
level. The fact is however that
there are an estimated 1.5
million other children who
should be served but won’t un-
til budgetarty constraints are
lifted.
Grants are awarded by the
Department of Health and
Human Services Regional of-
fices and the Indian and
Migrant Program Division to
public agencies, private non-
profit organizations and school
systems for the purpose of
operating programs at the com-
munity level.
Head Start is concerned with
the “whole child” and his fami-
ly. There are five component
areas that provide direct ser-
vices. They involve health ser-
vices including medical and
dental screenings and needed
treatment, nutrition, mental
health services, services to the
handicapped, parent involve-
ment and training, social ser-
vices, and education.
However, Head Start is only par-
tially funded by the Federal
Government and depends on
local resources, volunteers, or:
contributions. Recent data show
that nearly 46% of the children
are enrolled in the Medicaid pro-
gram which pays for their
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Thursday. September 30, 1982-KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD-Page 7A
Head Start Improves Academic Performances
medical and dental services.
Programs also use the USDA
_ Child Care Food Program which
reimburses Head Start for much
‘of the costs in providing food
and food services.
Countless referrals are made
to other agencies for assistance
the Head Start programs are
unable to provide also.
Equipment, building space,
volunteer time in the classroom
and consultation and assistance
from doctors, dentists, mental
health specialists, experts on
handicapping conditions, and
educational professionals are
among the donated services that
count toward the 20% share of
the program costs required of the
community. The federal grant
covers only 80% of the cost of
the operation of a program.
The Cleveland County Head
Start program is sponsored by
Kings Mountain District
~ Schools. The Executive Director
is William F. DAvis, Superinten-
dent. Head Start Director for
Cleveland County is Ms. Patti
Scism.
The program serves a total of
140 children county-wide. There
are 20 children per classroom. A
teacher and aide are in every
classroom and there should be a
third adult present at all times, if
possible. This person can be a
parent volunteer, community
volunteer, or student. For 1982
it is projected that Head Start
will employ 73,170 paid staff
and will receive assistance from
about 494,300 volunteers
nation-wide.
Classrooms are located at the
following schools in our county:
Marion Elementary - Shelby,
Elizabeth Elementary - Shelby,
North Elementary - Kings
Mountain, Grover Elementary
-Grover, Polkville Elementary
-Polkville, Lattimore Elementary
Lattimore, and Washington
Elementary - Waco.
There is a total of 20 Head
Start staff including Direc-
tor/Education Coordinator,
Health/Nutrition Coordinator,
Social Services/Parent Involv-
ment Coordinator, Han-
dicapMental Health Coor-
dinatpr, Family Services Aide,
Secretary/Bookkeeper, 7
teachers and 7 teacher aides. The
program also employs a ‘Speech’
Therapist on a contracutal basis.
The Cleveland County pro-
gram operates 12 months a year
but school schedules are follow-
ed for the children.
Ms. Patti Scism, the program’s
director, states that they rely
very heavily on resources and of-
ficials from all three local school
systems, particularly Kings
Mountain District Schools. She
explains that the valuable ser-
vices, consultation, and support
provided by these professionals
is vitally needed to make the pro-
gram work effectively.
* Ms. Scism states that she feels
young children are our greatest
natural resource and that proper
guidance for them is one of our
best guarantees for a better
America and a brighter future.
Ms. Scism believes in the Head
Start philosophy that every child
should have a chance to have a
productive and useful life. She is
aware of the difficulties which
are overwhelming for a child to
master alone if his family is poor,
his cultural and social oppor-
tunities meager and his medical
care inadequate.
She explains that the local pro-
gram will be celebrating Head
Start’s 17th birthda with a
treasure hunt-but this one has a
unique twist-you’re the object
of the hunt! Some of your
friends and neighbors are
already helping. If you have the
time to offer or if you can donate
equipment or supplies, you can
help too. There are many ways
you can help.
Head Start is still an unfinish-
ed story. There have been pit-
falls, disappointments and cut-
backs along the way, but there
have been countless success
stories too. Not only for children
and families but for many
volunteers, including parents of
enrolled children, Head Start has
provided an opportunity for
career advancement. Some com-
munity residents who started out
as volunteers have become paid
classroom aides and gone on to
earn college degrees through
staff training programs. Nearly
30 percent of Head /Start
classroom staff across the nation
are current or former Head Start
parents.
Persons interested in becom-
ing involved with Head Start
should contact Ms. Scism at
739-8816 or 739-8156. The
Head Start office is located at
500 West Parker Street in Kings
Mountain at the Kings Moun-
tain District Schools Ad-
ministrative office building.
- When was the last time you
felt really needed and ap-’
preciated? “At Head Start we
really appreciate volunteers
because we know their work
with children today continues to
affect lives tomorrow. Our
children are holding the future.”
Ms. Scism says, “You may be
just the treasure we’re looking
for!”
County Fair Opens
Friday For Nine Days
The 1982 Cleveland County
Fair begins a nine-day run Fri-
day.
Fair gates will open at 3 p.m.,
the midway will begin operation
at 4 p.m., and the official open-
ing ceremony will be held at 5
p.m. Miss North Carolina,
Elizabeth Williams of Shelby,
will be special guest at the open-
ing ceremony. Invocation will be
given by Dr. Joseph Reeves of
Shelby Central United
Methodist Church. Robert
Morgan will conduct a brief
memorial service in memory of
Paul P. Limerick, who had serv-
ed as public relations director for
the fair since 1964.
General admission tickets dur-
ing the fair are $2.50 for adults,
50° for children 12 and under,
and parking is free. (Advance
ticket sales at reduced prices will
end September 30.) Senior
citizens, 65-74, will be admitted
to the fairgrounds every day for
one-half price, and those 75
years of age and over will be ad-
mitted free.
Fair Manager Joe Goforth
stated that Reithoffer’s King
Reid Show on the midway at .
this year’s fair will feature 40
rides and shows. The King Reid
Show has the popular Sea :
Dragon ride—a 40-passenger
family-type “Viking Ship” ride
with free fall action from 56 feet
high, The Super Loops Coaster,
the Himalaya, the Flying Bobs,
the Zephr, plus all the standard
rides. And, for the younger mid-
way fans, there will be many :
favorites, including the Mini :
Honda Travel Bike, Race Cars, :
Merry-Go-Round, and many
others.
Persons interested in entering !
an exhibit at the fair are remind-
ed to check the fair catalog for
the listing of the many items that
can be exhibited, and also for the
entry deadline dates for the
various departments.
Grover Rescue Squad
Fun Run Scheduled
The Grover Rescue Squad will
sponsor a big fun run for all ages
Sat., Oct. 16. Warmups will
begin at 8 a.m. and runs start at
in front of the rescue
building.
There will be a 3 kilometer
and 10 kilometer run. Entry fee
is $5 and all who pre-register will
receive T-shirts.
To register, obtain an entry
BREAKFAST
El Bethel United ‘Methodist
Church will sponsor a country
breakfast Saturday from 6 until
10:30 a.m. at the church. Take
out orders are available.
form from the rescue squad or
any of its members.
Trophies will be given for the .
first, second and third place
finishers, both men and women, bi
in the 10-kilometer run. Age
divisions are 0-25, 26-35 and .;
36-up.
Trophies will be given to the ; :
top two finishers, both men and -
women, in the 3 kilometer run.
Age divisions are 0-25 and
26-up.
Refreshments and first aid will
be available.
Proceeds from the runs wil £0
toward the purchase of much-
needed equipment and supplies.