Tallatoona Community Action Partnership (TCAP) Head Start in Floyd recently celebrated Georgia Pre-K Week, Oct. 2-6, with a week of special activities culminating with a visit from State Representative Katie Dempsey. Representative Dempsey read “Cheer: A Book to Celebrate Community” by Uncle Ian Aurora and illustrated by Natalia Moore to the eager students. The book encourages children to celebrate their community, recognizing the essential roles played by family embers, police officers, firefighters, librarians, shopkeepers, and other community
members.
“Georgia Pre-K Week is so important!” said Representative Dempsey. “Tallatoona is the 8th school I have come and read to, and each time that I walk into a new place, my heart feels like it might leap out of my chest!”
Children enrolled in Head Start and Georgia’s Pre-K programs consistently exhibit considerable growth across various areas of learning, including math, language & literacy, and social-emotional skills. Now in its 13th year, Georgia Pre-K Week raises awareness for
the importance of quality early childhood education with community leaders and elected officials commemorating the occasion by visiting Pre-K centers to read a favorite children’s book to the young learners.
Sydney Adkins, Center Manager of Floyd Head Start, described the enthusiasm and excitement of the students during the week’s events. “This was my first year being a part of GA Pre-K Week, and man oh man, what an exciting week it was! On Wednesday, our students were able to come face-to-face with 2 police officers, 3 firefighters, and 2 paramedics. They were able to climb on up in a Firetruck, turn the lights and sirens on in a police car, and help rescue a patient in the ambulance.” Adkins continued, “I could not think of a better ending to this wonderful week than with a reading from Mrs. Katie Dempsey! The kids absolutely adored her. They were hanging on to every word Mrs. Dempsey read.”
TCAP Head Start programs are dedicated to providing quality early education to over 600 students throughout Northwest Georgia, with approximately 100 young learners at the Floyd Head Start location alone. The organization’s commitment to fostering community engagement and preparing young children for future success was clearly evident during Georgia Pre-K Week.
“Georgia Pre-K Week continues to be a remarkable occasion for children, educators, and community leaders to come together, emphasizing the significance of early education in nurturing the potential of our youngest learners,” said Scott Gray, executive director of
TCAP. “Representative Dempsey’s visit to the Floyd Head Start was an important reminder of the positive impact that our public officials can have on the lives of our future generations.”
