The founding of Head Start was the work of many hands, Republican and Democrat, but its clarity of vision comes from Sargent Shriver, and so does the relentlessness of its pursuit of results that last a lifetime for at-risk children.
Sargent Shriver not only helped conceptualize Head Start, he helped set it in the right direction. It is a part of his legacy that thousands at-risk kids have gone on to lead healthy productive lives, and that Head Start pays back its investment many times over.
I know that he was proud that multiple studies have shown Head Start and Early Head Start to be one of the most accountable, successful, and cost-effective investments we make. Kids that have been through Head Start are healthier, more academically accomplished, more likely to be employed, commit fewer crimes, and contribute more to society over a lifetime; and Sargent Shriver is one of the people we have to thank for that. The millions of successful Head Start alumni are a living testament to a life well-lived.
Yasmina Vinci, Executive Director