[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16662]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HEAD START AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, it is with great pleasure that I speak on 
behalf of the Delaware delegation to honor Head Start's 50 years of 
service to our Nation's most vulnerable children and families in 
Delaware and nationwide. On May 18, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson 
launched Project Head Start as an 8-week summer demonstration project 
to teach low-income students needed skills before they started 
kindergarten. Over the past 50 years, Head Start has served 32 million 
children and families across the country with comprehensive services.
  The Head Start Program has given children and families the tools to 
succeed by ensuring a high quality education and access to health care 
and social services. The Head Start Program represents a critical 
investment in the education of our nation's youngest children. In the 
State of Delaware, 2,714 children and pregnant women benefitted from 
Head Start, Early Head Start, and the Early Childhood Assistance 
Program in 2014. Head Start is instrumental in uplifting families in 
Delaware by providing resources to families who, like many of us, want 
to see their children reach their full potential.
  The teachers, home visitors, and family service workers that make up 
the Head Start Program are the backbone of this mission. Without them 
on the front lines each and every day, these early education goals 
would not be met. I commend the teachers and staff who are deeply 
committed to seeing all children succeed. On behalf of Senator Chris 
Coons and Congressman John Carney, I recognize Head Start Awareness 
Month and the 50th Anniversary of Head Start. It is our sincere hope 
that future generations of children and families can continue to 
greatly benefit from Head Start's programs and we can put children on 
the right path from the very beginning.

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