Melissa’s journey with People Incorporated began when she was searching for childcare options for her oldest son, Aiden. At just three years old, Aiden was caught in the challenging gap between being too young for preschool but old enough to benefit from a structured learning environment. When Melissa discovered that Aiden qualified for People Incorporated’s Head Start, she felt a glimmer of hope.
Upon her first visit to the Bristol Head Start facility, Melissa was impressed by the structured classroom environment. The program’s curriculum and structured routine was exactly what she envisioned for her son. It felt like the perfect fit.
As time went on, Melissa’s positive experience with People Inc.’s Head Start expanded to serve the needs of her other children. Aiden entered the program at age three and thrived in the nurturing atmosphere.
When Melissa’s daughter grew old enough, she followed in her brother’s footsteps, joining the program and benefiting from the same experiences. Her youngest, Connor, was enrolled in Early Head Start, receiving care and education from as early as six weeks old. It was a seamless transition for Connor when he eventually moved on to Head Start.
The curriculum was both rigorous and nurturing, allowing Melissa’s children to flourish. They learned to spell their names and recognize letters long before their peers, gaining a head start that would serve them well in their educational journeys. “I feel like the program has been quite excellent, as far as teaching the children,” said Melissa.
For Connor, Early Head Start connected him to additional support, including early intervention and speech therapy that addressed his early speech delays. Melissa felt informed and included throughout the entire process. “The school has a really great way of communicating with parents,” said Melissa. “They have progress reports, they’ll do home visits, or have you come to the Center and just touch base with you on where your child is at in the program and anything that they might need help with.”
With the financial relief from not having to pay for childcare and the transportation provided for her kids, Melissa was able to return to school and pursue a new career path. She obtained her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license and is currently setting her sights on a radiography program. Before enrolling Aiden in Head Start, having the opportunity to better her career path felt like a dream out of reach for Melissa.
Now, Aiden is eight and far from needing Head Start services, although Melissa believes that the instruction he received early in life built a great foundation for school. She envisions a future for her family full of achieving higher education and reaching family goals thanks to the help they’ve received from Head Start.
