October is Head Start Awareness Month, a time to honor a program that has opened windows of opportunity for more than 32 million at-risk children and their families across the nation. This year also marks Head Start’s 50th anniversary and we are commemorating past success while looking toward the future.

Androscoggin Head Start and Child Care was one of the first programs providing programming in the summer of 1965. Androscoggin County is characterized by a wide range of cultural, social and economic disparities. Serving one of Maine’s most diverse communities — 16 percent of Androscoggin residents speak a language other than English — our program offers culturally responsive services to prepare our community’s most vulnerable children for success, in school and beyond.

Our program utilizes an evidenced-based curriculum rich in language and literacy learning that has led to increased scores across all learning domains. This year’s literacy and cognition scores had 97 percent of children meeting or exceeding developmental targets.

We offer children a safe and engaging place to learn and grow while parents benefit from wrap-around services which assist them in their ability to access community resources.

Thousands of children throughout the state depend on Head Start to help families build the critical foundation that children require to be school ready. This month, let’s all recommit to ensuring Maine’s most vulnerable children and families get the important head start they need.

Betsy Norcross Plourde, executive director

Androscoggin Head Start and Child Care, Lewiston