From our Director |  All News

Last week, something important happened in Toledo.

At Clever Bee Academy, leaders, teachers, parents, and children welcomed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Assistant Secretary Alex Adams into their Head Start program. What they experienced was more than a visit - it was a clear, firsthand look at what Head Start delivers for children and families every day.

They saw classrooms where children are engaged and supported.
They met teachers who know their students and their families.
They saw how education, health, nutrition, and family support come together in one place.
That kind of understanding doesn’t come from a headline or a report - it comes from being there.

These Moments Matter

Head Start is often discussed in policy conversations, budget debates, and headlines, but those conversations cannot fully reflect what the program actually looks like on the ground.

That’s why moments like this matter.

When policymakers spend time inside a program – when they sit with children, talk with staff, and hear directly from parents – the conversation changes. It becomes more informed. More grounded in reality. And ultimately, more aligned with what children and families actually need.

But those moments don’t happen on their own. They happen because programs are willing to open their doors.

Making the Work Visible

What Katie Maccagnone and her team did was not just host a visit.

They made the work visible.

They connected federal policy decisions to real children and real families. They showed the depth of what Head Start provides – not just early learning, but stability, trust, and support for the whole family.

That is what effective policymaker education looks like.
 
A Message to Our Community

Every Head Start program has a story like this.

And every program has a role to play in helping policymakers understand the value of this work.

We cannot assume that decision-makers fully understand what Head Start does or why it matters. It is up to us to show them – frequently, and clearly and consistently.
That means:

These are not extras. They are essential to protecting and strengthening Head Start.
Need help getting started? Click here to access OHSAI’s guide to hosting a visit. Have questions or need more assistance? Contact Amanda Yancey at OHSAI – yancey@ohsai.org.

Moving Forward

We are incredibly proud of the team at Clever Bee Academy for representing Ohio so well. You showed what the work of Head Start looks like every day – and why it matters.

Now we build on that momentum.
We keep opening our doors.
We keep telling the story.
And we make sure that when decisions are made about Head Start, they are informed by what policymakers have actually seen and experienced.

Because when they see and feel it for themselves, it’s harder to misunderstand—and harder to overlook.