HS/EHS Blog: Impact – What You May Never Know

I often offer preconference presentations, as well as breakout sessions, through the National Head Start Association’s annual conferences. This past week I presented at the parent conference. Because the Policy Council and parent involvement have been an important part of the program since the 1970s, this conference focuses on helping parents and community members learn the rules, regulations, and requirements of the Head Start/Early Head Start program—and there are A LOT!

Every year I have a parent (biological, adoptive, foster, grandparent, family member with custody, etc.) come up to me, generously thank me for my time, and tell me their story.

With each story of hardship, I hear hope, commitment, caring, learning, and determination. And each year, I learn one more thing about this program that regulations and requirements and even data linked to outcomes can’t teach me—I learn that all people have a story of impact, impact they have experienced and, in turn, impact they have had on others.

As 2017 rolls to an end, as I am one year older, as I learn how to help teach and prepare leaders for the new Aligned Monitoring Protocol 2.0, I am reminded that we all have an impact and that we may never know the full story of how far or wide or great.

So thank you for your impact, and please continue to share your story with me and others.

Tammy Jelinek has over 20 years of experience working in and with grant-funded and fee-for-services nonprofit organizations. She has trained nationally in the areas of OMB Uniform Guidance, Head Start/Early Head Start Act and program performance standards, parent/volunteer involvement, and more. And Tammy has a passion for helping programs help the families they serve! Learn more at wipfli.com/ngp.

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