FiveCap Celebrates its Head Start Parents; They Rack up Huge Numbers in Volunteer Service Hours
Ludington, Mich. (June 2, 2017) – It was a night to celebrate Head Start parents – and what a night it was! What a celebration of success!
Head Start/Early Head Start provider, FiveCap Inc. in northwest Michigan, hosted its 40th annual Parent and Volunteer Honors Banquet last week recognizing families for outstanding service. Collectively, Head Start and Early Head Start parents in Newago, Lake and Manistee Counties performed more than 46,000 service hours in the past year, announced Mary L. Trucks, Executive Head Start Director.
The gala drew a crowd of 200 and featured a keynote address by Michigan Head Start Association Executive Director Robin L. Bozek.
Bozek praised the parents for their efforts and said they have the chance to make the world a better place.
“Your work is in a pay-it-forward environment,” she said. “The things you do today will have huge impact on the future.”
Special recognition went to Samantha Welch for the parent with the highest overall earned points (561); Catherine Cockerman for the parent with the second highest overall points (365); and the Manistee Child Development Center for the center that earned the highest parent participation points (nearly 3,900).
Joan Meeusen, Director of Education and Training, recognized educators for outstanding achievement. She said FiveCap educators have attained educational credentials that exceed National Head Start Association standards. Over 70 percent of its Head Start educators have earned a bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in early childhood, compared to a national benchmark of 50 percent.
“We’re really proud of the fact that FiveCap is a premier school readiness program,” Meeusen said. “It’s really due to the partnership with our parents and supporters.”