MSHS students at the Napoleon Center pose together for a photo

For GLCAP parent Adela Renteria, the Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) program has made a lasting impact on her family.

Renteria, a mother of seven, has had three of her children attend the Napoleon MSHS Center. Her youngest child, Ernesto, is currently completing his third and final year of preschool at the center.

Renteria said the program has been a tremendous benefit to her family and that she has seen such growth in each of her children throughout their time at the center.

Renteria said her children were very shy and timid when they first started the program, but over time she has seen their confidence grow significantly. She said the program’s bilingual learning environment helped prepare her children academically and socially for kindergarten. Through their classroom experiences, they learned foundational skills such as colors, the alphabet and early literacy concepts in both English and Spanish.

By the time her children entered kindergarten, Renteria said she felt they were well-prepared. That growth was especially meaningful with Ernesto, she said. When he first started attending the center, Ernesto struggled with separation anxiety. Renteria said her youngest child initially struggled with separating from her but now looks forward to going to school each day, which she said has been rewarding to see as a parent.

Beyond classroom instruction, Renteria said her family has also benefited from the support services offered through GLCAP. She credited Family Advocate Bettina Batterson for helping her family connect with essential resources, including medical and dental providers, parenting classes and other community services.

“If you have the opportunity to come here to this school, to experience this family, I recommend it. They help so much,” Renteria said. 

Batterson said building strong relationships with families is a core part of the program’s mission.
“We know her and her kids,” she said. “It’s a bond we have together, and we’re happy to help them.”

GLCAP currently operates Migrant and Seasonal Head Start centers in Fremont, Napoleon, New Carlisle, and Shiloh. Learn more about this program at www.glcap.org/mshs. Click to hear Renteria's story here: Parent share experiences with MSHS