At a rally on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC Sept. 27, St. Clair County Head Start Executive Director Latoya Orr joined 1,500 Head Start families, alumni and staff in calling on Congress, with one voice, to robustly fund Head Start.  

The National Head Start Association kicked off Head Start Awareness Month with a spirit rally on the U.S. Capitol Grounds. With the Capitol Dome in view, members of Congress and Head Start advocates raised their voices to call attention to the importance of early childhood education. Following the rally, participants walked to the US House of Representatives and the US Senate to meet with their members of Congress.   

“Head Start serves more than 217 vulnerable children in St. Clair County, each of whom relies on Head Start’s comprehensive approach to early learning to get fully prepared for success in Kindergarten and beyond,” St. Clair County Head Start Executive Director Latoya Orr said. “I went to Washington to learn more about how best to serve our Head Start children and families. Now it’s time for Washington to do the same. Without adequate funding, it will be difficult to continue offering the comprehensive services that meet the unique needs of our children and place entire communities on the path to success.” 

Orr met with Congressman Mike Rogers during her trip to the capital.  

“Head Start families made the trip to Washington, to the very steps of Congress, to send a clear message — we must sustain our national commitment to America’s most vulnerable children,” National Head Start Association Executive Director Yasmina Vinci said. “Current and future generations need a strong and consistent investment in quality early childhood education that builds on what we know works…and Head Start works!”