Luzerne County Head Start, Inc. held its 58th annual anniversary celebration and alumni scholarship luncheon on Monday, May 15th. Thirty-five individuals were recognized for milestone years of service at Head Start. Four community members also received the agency’s Outstanding Community Partner award for their exemplary dedication to the mission of Head Start.

Lynn Evans Biga, executive director at LCHS, was awarded the agency’s third annual ‘Bold Leadership Award’ and recognized for 45 years of service; for 34 of those years she has served as Luzerne County Head Start’s executive director.

Former Head Start student, Amber Growhowski, served as keynote speaker. Grohowski is a 2016 graduate from Greater Nanticoke Area. She received her degree in neuroscience from Wilkes University in 2020, and is currently employed as a surgical neurophysiologist at Procirca’s Center for Clinical Neurophysiology in Williamsport.

Additionally, 15 students who will graduate from high schools in Luzerne and Susquehanna Counties received more than $22,000 in scholarship awards that are funded by individuals and businesses in the community.

The event was sponsored by The Benco Family Foundation and was held at Mohegan Pennsylvania. Approximately 275 individuals from the community and agency were in attendance. This is the first time the event was held in person since 2019.

WHAT: Luzerne County Head Start’s 58th annual alumni scholarship luncheon
WHEN: Monday, May 15, 2023 from 12pm – 2pm
WHERE: Mohegan Pennsylvania | 1280 PA-315, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
ABOUT: Head Start alumni will be recognized with scholarships for higher education; staff and
community partners will be awarded for their outstanding service to LCHS

Fifteen Luzerne County Head Start (LCHS) alumni from seven school districts in Luzerne and Susquehanna Counties who will continue their education after high school will be honored at LCHS’s 58th anniversary luncheon. The celebration will take place on Monday, May 15 at Mohegan Pennsylvania, Plains Twp. Near Wilkes-Barre.

This year, LCHS will recognize 15 students with scholarships totaling $22,100. To date, the LCHS alumni scholarship program has awarded 333 scholarships totaling $333,450.00. The scholarships are provided through private sponsors, including local businesses, organizations, and community leaders. Students who received scholarships submitted applications and were selected by LCHS’s scholarship committee through a point selection process.

In addition to the scholarship awards, staff and community members will be honored for their years of service and dedication to LCHS. Awards will be distributed to LCHS’s 2023 “Outstanding Community Partners,” including Darcie Shaffer, Volunteers in Medicine; Beth Kratz, Greater Nanticoke Area Family Center/Pre-K Counts; Trooper Anthony Petroski, Hazleton State Police; and Marie Meade, Harveys Lake Community News

Ellen Galinsky, author or “Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs,” spoke to a crowd of Luzerne County Head Start (LCHS) staff and Wilkes University’s education students and professionals at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts.

The event was held as a partnership between Head Start and the University. The keynote presentation called “Learning and Thriving: Questions and Lessons Learned” by the best selling author addressed the science behind early childhood learning and development.

The event was held as a professional development opportunity for Head Start staff as well as aspiring early childhood education professionals.

Dr. Jonathan D. Ference, associate provost at Wilkes University, addresses Head Start staff.

Luzerne County Head Start, Inc. in partnership with Wilkes University welcomes best-selling author, Ellen Galinsky, to the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts at Wilkes University on March 3, 2023. Galinsky will present “Learning and Thriving: Questions and Lessons Learned” to early childhood education staff at Head Start and aspiring educators and education professionals at Wilkes University.  

Galinsky is the author of “Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs”andis the President of Families and Work Institute, an organization she co-founded in 1989. She is also the elected President of the Work and Family Researchers Network, a network of 7000 researchers globally. She has conducted research on child-care, parent-professional relationships, parental development, work-family issues, and youth voice.

Galinsky will focus on what trauma is, what causes it and its potential effects on the brain and learning. She will discuss why relationships with children and families are critical to promoting healing, as well as the importance of caring for one’s own well-being. She will also touch on the importance of the early years, how the brain develops, and the kinds of critical skills children learn in early childhood. 

The presentation will take place from 11:30am – 1pm on Fri., March 3^rd at Wilkes University’s Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 239 S. River St., Wilkes-Barre. A meet-and-greet and book signing will take place following the presentation in the lobby of the theater.

LCHS will hold a recruitment/open house event on Thurs. Feb. 23rd from 3pm-4pm at our EHS, Head Start and Pre-K Counts locations. *Please note this does not include our classes located in the Wilkes-Barre Area SD, the Crestwood SD, the Tunkhannock SD, or Dallas SD.

Current and interested families are welcome to visit their child’s center, tour their classroom, ask questions, or begin the application process. We look forward to meeting with you and answering any questions.

If you have questions ahead of this event, please email lchsinfo@hsweb.org with the subject line “LCHS Open House” or call 570-829-6231.

Locations Families Can Visit for LCHS Recruitment Event:

Back Mountain Center – 474 Yalick Rd., Dallas

Beekman St. Center (EHS and HS) – 23 Beekman St., WB 

Church of Christ Uniting (COCU) Center – 190 S. Sprague Ave., Kingston

Dallas United Methodist Church Center – 4 Parsonage St., Dallas

Edwardsville (EHS and HS) Center – 111 Meyers St., Edwardsville

Hazleton Center – 663 Carson St., Hazleton

HIP Center – 225 E. Fourth St.,Hazleton 

LCCC, Nanticoke Canter – 1333 S. Prospect St., Nanticoke 

LCCC, Hazleton Center – 100 W. Broad St., Hazleton 

Nanticoke Center – 1010 S. Hanover St., Nanticoke 

New Street, Plymouth Center- 560 New St., Plymouth 

Pittston New Street Center – 109 New St., Pittston 

Plains Center – 100 2nd St, WB 

Mehoopany Center – 1687 Scottsville Rd, Mehoopany 

Vine West Center – 334 West Birch St., Hazleton 

Exeter Center – EHS only – 1825 Wyoming Ave., Exeter 

Hazleton Center – EHS only – 10 West Chestnut Street, Suite #10, Hazleton 

Dozens of children at Luzerne County Head Start, Inc. (LCHS) will have new winter wear this season thanks to the generosity of employees at PNC Bank.

Employees from branches across the northeast region purchased hats and gloves for children from birth to age five who attend Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Luzerne and Wyoming Counties.

More than 500 hats and gloves were collected as part of the drive.

LCHS would like to thank the employees at PNC Bank for their generosity this holiday season.

Children at Luzerne County Head Start, Inc. will have a warm coat this winter thanks to a coat drive sponsored by Eye Care Specialists of Kingston.

The business in Kingston teamed up with Eleventh Element in Edwardsville to collect winter jackets for children and their families who are enrolled in services at Luzerne County Head Start and Head Start Columbia Child Development Program.

New and gently used coats for both children and adults were dropped off at Eye Care Specialists’ seven locations across Luzerne and Columbia Counties and at Eleventh Element’s location in Edwardsville. The businesses started the coat collection back in September and wrapped up the collection in November.

More than 200 winter jackets were donated to children and families in need as part of the 11th annual coat drive.

Standing from left to right: Rebecca Norton, Kelly Lyons, Family Engagement Specialists, LCHS; Cheryl Summa, Chris Cavanaugh, Eye Care Specialists; Kati Autolitano, Family Engagement Specialist, LCHS; Donna & Chris Caruso, Eleventh Element; Sharon Dougherty, Director of Family Strengthening and Community Engagement, LCHS

The laminated certificate mounted on the wall in classroom #3 at Luzerne County Head Start’s (LCHS) Beekman Street center in Wilkes-Barre is a small reminder of the hard work that associate teacher, Jessica Cartagena, put into making her dream a reality.  

The former Head Start parent, and mother of two, recently completed her Child Development Associate (CDA®) certification through the National Head Start Association (NHSA). Jessica began her career at LCHS as a part-time classroom substitute in 2018 at LCHS’s former Pittston Primary location.

“I learned about the substitute position after speaking to my son’s Early Head Start family educator who knew about my love for children. However, obstacles with childcare made it difficult for me to commit to a full-time employment opportunity.  I was offered a part-time position that fit my schedule perfectly.”

In 2021, Jessica relocated to the Plains Head Start Center, where she served as the classroom aide. Jessica’s bilingual abilities were especially useful to help Spanish speaking children in the classroom.  She says the experience she had while working there made her want to further her education.    

“I watched the way the teacher helped the children.  It motivated me to want to do better. She taught both my children, but also gave me the confidence I needed to achieve my goal.”

Jessica learned about the opportunity to receive her CDA® certification through the online course with NHSA. Earning a CDA® credential demonstrates educators’ knowledge, skills, and abilities in the early childhood education field as well as their commitment to professional development. Traditionally, LCHS offers employees the opportunity to receive their CDA® certification through an in-person program with Keystone College.  Due to implications from COVID-19, the course was not available to LCHS employees this past year. The online course was paid for through LCHS’s professional development program.

Jessica said the program was rigorous, but the support she received helped her to successfully complete the online course.

“My experience with the program was challenging at first, because I prefer in-person learning. However, NHSA’s team was very helpful and never hesitated to answer my questions. I also received a lot of support and encouragement from my managers and co-workers.”

As she worked toward earning the certification, Jessica credited her own children with helping to keep her motivated.

“They would say to me, ‘Mommy, you can do it.’ This is what I always tell them, so hearing them coach me kept me moving toward my goal. I wanted to show them that you are never too old to go to school and that hard work is often rewarded with success.”

The reward for her hard work paid off. Jessica was one of three early childhood education professionals in the country and the first staff member at LCHS to complete the coursework needed to earn the CDA® certification through NHSA’s program. She finished the coursework in just 4 months. 

“I am grateful for the continued learning opportunity that LCHS provides to staff. My co-workers taught me how important it was to not give up, even when the work seemed overwhelming. I am thankful for their support in helping me to complete this journey.”  

This past fall, Jessica accepted the associate teacher position in classroom #3 at LCHS’s Beekman Street center. She works alongside her classroom’s teacher, Miss Katie. Jessica says that she hopes to eventually earn her associate degree in Early Childhood Education.

Jessica was recognized by the National Head Start Association during a webinar in November for her outstanding achievements. LCHS would like to congratulate Jessica on being the first employee to receive her CDA® through NHSA’s online certification program.

U.S. Senator, Robert P. Casey Jr., visited Luzerne County Head Start’s Beekman Street center in Wilkes-Barre. The Senator read to two classrooms of preschool aged children enrolled in LCHS’s early childhood education program. The purpose of the visit was to bring attention to the importance of early childhood education and the services Head Start provides to at-risk children and their families.

Senator Casey also spoke with Head Start leaders and parents who are part of the agency’s ‘ECE professional’ program done in partnership with Keystone College. The pilot program provides opportunities for parents to learn about what it takes to pursue a career in early childhood education and helps them to understand the mission of Head Start.

LCHS is an income-based program that provides early childhood education and comprehensive services to pregnant women, children birth to age five, and their families in Luzerne and Wyoming Counties.

From left to right: Fran Langan, Keystone College, LCHS Board of Directors; Lynn Evans Biga, Executive Director, Luzerne County Head Start; Loriel Hinton, Elizabeth Tula, Angelina Alfaro, Head Start parents; Senator Robert P. Casey Jr.; Beth White, Assistant Executive Director, Luzerne County Head Start

State Senator, Marty Flynn, visited with 3 to 5-year-old children at Luzerne County Head Start, Inc.’s Beekman Street center in Wilkes-Barre, PA as part of Head Start Awareness Month.

The first-time State Senator was welcomed by two classrooms of children.  He read It Looked Like Spilt Milk and Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See to the preschool children, and they rewarded him with high-fives!  

October was first proclaimed Head Start Awareness Month by President Ronald Reagan on October 22, 1982. Ever since, October has been a month for our community to celebrate the life changing impact of Head Start.