Head Start for the whole family

In 1991 Head Start came to Madison, VA and I read an article in the Madison Eagle that they were recruiting.  My daughter turned 4 years old that year. My husband was retired from the Army with a service connected disability, I wasn’t working and we also had a 7 year old son at home. Unfortunately the class was full so we went on the wait list.

I was so surprised to get a call in January 1992 that they had an opening and we started the enrollment process. Within days she started class. She loved Head Start and made many new friends. I took a job away from home and my husband, Butch Butcher, became the house daddy. He started volunteering with Head Start right away and had as much fun as Mary. He thought it would be a great idea to have a tea party at the house for Mary and all of her new Head Start friends. I still have the chipped china to prove it as well as some pictures I will always treasure. Mary learned so much with Head Start and she truly received a head start.

Butch drove the Head Start bus for awhile and Skyline CAP Head Start sent him to school and he became the bus trainer for a few years. I applied for a job with Skyline CAP and was the Health Coordinator for a year and have been the Family Community Partnership Manager since 1996.

Mary continued through school, always enjoying learning, and especially reading. She excelled in high school, was on the Forensics team, Beta Club, ran cross country, on the varsity soccer team and even was on the cheerleading squad (don’t tell her I let that slip).

Head Start was truly a family affair. Mary and her brother William volunteered when they could. Butch stayed busy helping. He enjoyed cooking for staff at orientation and especially for the family service worker meetings. Butch died from his service connected disability in December 2003. We all miss him.

Mary decided early on that she wanted to attend the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and was interested in their architecture program. She applied early and before Christmas of her senior year she received the letter welcoming her to UVA .

Mary started at the University of Virginia in August 2005. I am proud to say she graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree with a major in architecture and a minor in drama. She has used her architecture skills working on set designs for the university as well as Live Arts in Charlottesville. I was extremely proud of her set design for Matchmaker earlier this spring.

For all the naysayers out there:  Head Start does work. The exciting thing is it not only gives the child a head start but the whole family.   My family can attest to that and I am so glad that I made that call in 1991 and Debby Powell, Skyline CAP Head Start director, helped my family get the head start we all deserve.

Fay E. Butcher

In addition to her responsibilities at Skyline CAP Head Start, Fay served as treasurer of the VAHSA Board and as chairperson of the Northwest Region.