Lorelei Adkinson’s Head Start story began when her twin daughters turned three years-old. Lorelei learned about Head Start from a friend, and after going to visit a center for herself, she enrolled her girls as soon as they were old enough to attend the center closest to their home. The classrooms set-up and close proximity to their home made Head Start a perfect fit for Lorelei and her family.
Since entering the program, Lorelei says she has really watched her daughters flourish. The girls have always done a lot of learning from her at home, and Head Start has really enhanced the teaching she does as a mother.
“It has sped up their learning process, so I don’t have to do it all myself. I’m a single parent, so it helps,” she said.
Head Start gives Lorelei the opportunity to work and maintain a safe and healthy living environment for her girls. They love spending time together as a family, going on walks, and cooking together. But as much as they cherish their time together, Lorelei knows that her twins have benefitted from being around children their age. She says the Head Start program has given her girls the structure, socialization, and knowledge they will need to be successful in grade school.
“They are right on track for entering kindergarten right now with all of the areas of learning they need to have, so they’ll be good,” Lorelei said.
As the treasurer of the Parent Committee at her twins’ Head Start, Lorelei has made sure to stay involved with the girls’ learning. Having spent time in the classroom, says she loves the atmosphere of the classroom, and how the kids eat their meals family style. She has watched her girls develop in Head Start, and she believes that their Head Start experiences have prepared them to enter kindergarten this fall.
“They’ve just become so smart over the last two years as far as introducing them to Spanish words through school, and getting them to write their letters, and numbers, so I think they’re going to really excel when they enter kindergarten,” she said.