Sarah found support at Luzerne County Head Start during a major transitional period for her family. 

She and her son, Brentley, had just moved back to the area from Texas. They were temporarily staying with Sarah’s mother as Sarah worked on finding a place of their own. During this time of uncertainty, Sarah decided to enroll Brentley in Head Start. 

“I knew my child needed stability, routine and opportunities to socialize in a safe, nurturing and supportive learning environment,” Sarah said. “Head Start provided exactly that.”

Sarah formed a special bond with her family worker, Heidi. Knowing Sarah had just relocated and was essentially starting from scratch, Heidi immediately connected her with services like WIC. When Sarah wasn’t sure if she could afford Christmas presents for Brentley, Heidi also arranged for a community partner to cover his wish list. 

“Beyond connecting me to essential resources, Heidi became a source of emotional support during one of the most difficult transitions of my life,” Sarah said. “In many ways, she was my ‘therapist,’ always there to listen, encourage me and help me navigate everything I was going through.”

Sarah said Brentley thrived in Head Start and loved Ms. Heidi, as well as his teachers, Ms. Kim and Ms. Lisa. Head Start played an important role in his early development, and by the end, he was prepared to take the next step to kindergarten.

For Sarah, the experience with her family worker was life changing. Inspired to become a social worker herself, Sarah earned her associate degree, then her bachelor’s degree. As soon as she graduated, she knew she was meant to work at LCHS. 

“I applied to become a family worker, just as Heidi had been, with the hope of supporting and positively impacting the lives of others in the same way she had impacted mine,” she said. 

Sarah was later promoted to family engagement specialist, where she continues making a difference while supporting the program’s family workers. She appreciates how Head Start values the voices and experiences of both current and former parents. The two-generation approach is one of the factors that sets Head Start apart from other programs and makes it meaningful and impactful for families, Sarah said. 

“What makes Head Start truly special is that the focus extends beyond the children,” she said. “The program recognizes the importance of supporting the entire family and connecting parents and caregivers with resources and opportunities that can help improve their lives.”

By Brooke Williams, Community Advocate