ATI In the News
Spring Issue 2004 Vol. 10, No. 2, Reprinted with permission
NHSA News
NHSA 31st Annual Conference Draws Thousands
The National Head Start Association welcomed more than 4,000 early childhood educators, parents, and friends to its 31st Annual Training Conference in Anaheim, California, April 21-24. The conference included legislative and research focus forums, hundreds of exhibitors, a three-day Focus on Fathers Institute, special tracks, and more than 400 educational sessions.
Former Head Start alumna, Rep. Loretta Sanchez, who is now a U.S. congresswoman from California, gave a powerful endorsement of Head Start and promised to fight to keep it from being dismantled. Administration for Children and Families Assistant Secretary Wade Horn and NHSA Board Chair Ron Herndon shared the stage during the Opening General Session. Horn discussed
the creation of an independent body to review the implementation of the National Reporting System and to ensure that the test assesses social and emotional development, not just literacy and math skills.
He also stressed the longtime amicable relationship between the Head Start Bureau and NHSA and said he took immediate corrective action when NHSA approached him about problems with the transportation regulations and the withholding of training and technical money.
Herndon told the crowd NHSA prides itself on maintaining a positive relationship with whoever is in office but continuing attacks on Head Start are unfair. The latest HHS monitoring report makes clear that nine out of 10 programs are of high quality.
Nike and its President and CEO Phil Knight received special recognition for Nike’s outstanding support of Head Start children and families. Through Nike’s Start Line program, the company has contributed $5.2 million since 1998 in computers, software, and staff training for selected Head Start centers in Oregon, Washington, California, and rural communities. Kirk Stewart, Nike vice president of corporate communications, accepted the NHSA award of appreciation for Nike saying, “We are proud of our association with Head Start and the effective work it does.”
Johnson & Johnson Director of International Giving, Conrad Person, accepted NHSA’s award of appreciation for the company’s longtime support. Johnson & Johnson is responsible for the Johnson & Johnson Head Start Fellowship Program, the Helen H. Taylor Award for Management Excellence, and the NHSA Disaster Relief Fund. This year, Person presented the Helen H. Taylor Award for Management Excellence to M. Allison Johnson.
Vice President Soren Sofhauser of Childcraft, abc, and School Specialty Companies also accepted an NHSA award of appreciation. Childcraft, abc, and School Specialty Companies provide a percentage of their sales to support Head Start programs.
Edward Zigler, Ph.D., director of the Child Development Center at Yale University presented the 1st Annual Edward Zigler Research Scholarship to Laura Stout Sosinsky on April 22. Sosinsky is pursuing a doctorate in Developmental Psychology at Yale. The $3,000 scholarship comes out of the Helen Hollingshed Taylor Memorial Fund and is named to honor Dr. Zigler for his many contributions to Head Start children and families. Dr. Zigler launched his latest book, “The Head
Start Debates,” at a conference book signing later in the day.
Vice President Jason K. Feld of Assessment Technology Inc. moderated an important panel discussion on child outcomes following the award presentation. Feld serves on child outcomes research committees in Florida, Texas, Ohio, and North Carolina. Experts, Alan Guttmann, Management Consultants, Los Angeles County of Education; Norma Strickland, Ph.D., Child Development Director of the Institute of Community Services Inc., and Marce Verzaro-O’Brien, Ph.D., Western Kentucky University explained what each has done in their states in terms of child outcomes. Later that afternoon, Lilian Katz, Ph.D., professor emerita of Early Childhood Education at the University of Illinois, focused on quality Head Start programs.
On Friday, at the Government Affairs Legislative Luncheon, Rep. Sanchez commented on the National Reporting System asking whether the success of Head Start can really be measured by a test. The congresswoman told the crowd that they need to continue to work to make sure that everyone in the Head Start community turns out to vote in this very important election.
The association awarded a total of $26,500 in scholarships and awards. Visit www.nhsa.org to read about this year’s winners and to download a copy of the 2005 Scholarship and Awards book with applications for next year’s awards.