Providing a helping hand to families in Lincoln County, the Head Start program helps children by giving them a strong foundation of education before they enter the school system, while also identifying and addressing their health needs.

Shawn Cardwell, an AmeriCorps VISTA member, works as the Head Start community coordinator with Community Services Consortium. On Wednesday, she gave a report to the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners with information about Lincoln County’s Head Start program and the Friends of CSC Head Start program.

Lincoln County has Head Start centers in Toledo, Lincoln City and Newport. Last year, 160 students participated in the program. Cardwell said Lincoln City has shown the highest need between the cities and offers four classes. The Newport center offers three classes, and Toledo has one class. Each class has 20 students.

Head Start is a national program created in 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson to help combat poverty through education. Head Start programs are in every state. The program, for low-income children ages 3 to 5, is funded locally through a grant, with 102 students funded by the federal government and 58 through Oregon Head Start. Most students in the program are under the federal poverty level.

The program is structured around meeting the child’s educational needs, as well as addressing health, parent involvement and social service needs of the child and family.

Cardwell said the long-term effects of students involved in Head Start programs are favorable.

“They show increased achievement test scores throughout high school, and they’re less likely to drop out,” she said.

Prior to starting in the program, students have dental and health exams as part of an ongoing health program, which monitors immunizations, mental health and nutrition. She secured a grant with Altrusa in February to get fluoride treatments for all the students within the next two months.

Students receive two meals a day, recess and are participants in an active learning environment. Parent involvement with the child’s education is encouraged.

“There’s a policy council where parents actually get to have a hand in choosing the policy, rules and the curriculum,” Cardwell said. “It gives them a feeling of power and commitment to this program because they have had a hand in making those choices.”

The centers offer job training for parents, as well as information about available community services. Head Start in Lincoln County is now a tobacco-free school and will offer tobacco cessation programs.

Cardwell helped develop the “Friends of CSC Head Start” program to support the Head Start program. They have an upcoming fundraising event planned for Oct. 20 called “Dinner Down the Bay” - a five-course progressive dinner along the Bayfront. “We’re really looking for community members to come and enrich the program. Head Start gives back a lot to the community around them. They say every dollar invested in Head Start is a $9 to $14 return to the community,” Cardwell said.



Monique Cohen is a reporter with the News-Times. Contact her at 265-8571 ext. 217 or mcohen@newportnewstimes.com.



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