On Thursday, August 22, Geminus Head Start, a member of Regional Care Group, hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Geminus Head Start Porter County Early Learning Academy.
This event marked a new chapter in early childhood education and community support as it featured tours of the new facilities and an introduction to the programs offered.
Dr. Karen Carradine, vice president of early childhood services at Geminus, and Bill Trowbridge, CEO of Regional Care Group, were among the key speakers.
"This has been a long journey that started back in 2018 when I wrote a grant to bring child care services, specifically Head Start programs, into Porter County," said Carradine. "We aimed to address that need by submitting our first grant in 2018. It was approved in 2019, but then, of course, the pandemic hit."
Despite the obstacles presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Carradine remained committed to launching this facility to serve the community.
When the pandemic hit, we knew we needed to provide more space to allow for social distancing," said Carradine. "Our original plans included four preschool classrooms for our Head Start children, who are ages 3 to 5. We quickly realized, given the circumstances, that we could create a prenatal and birth to age 5 continuum of service and that would require even more space, so we went back to the drawing board, wrote another grant, and decided to include our Early Head Start families as well. We received funding, from the federal government through the Head Start pandemic relief fund, which allowed us to expand the necessary space to grow our promise to the community. The approved expansion turned our initial blueprint into a dream being realized by meeting the need of more access to high quality child care opportunities in Porter County!"
Trowbridge was eager to support Carradine's vision and assist her in any way possible.
"My role here is simply to support her vision and dedication to making this project a reality," said Trowbridge. "She started six years ago, focusing on the opportunity to expand our presence in Porter County. Now, we have our first freestanding structure in Porter County, which is exciting. Overall, this is going to be crucial for the community—it's an area that truly needs Head Start programs, and this facility solidifies our commitment to Porter County and South Haven."
The space is crucial as it provides an environment where children can grow. This facility not only cares for children but also supports adults by offering prenatal classes and resources for parents.
"I'm so happy to stand in front of this building, which not only offers services for children from birth through age 5 but also provides prenatal care for mothers seeking support and guidance throughout their pregnancies," said Carradine. "Our prenatal life coaches are doula-certified, so they can assist mothers who wish to have a natural childbirth, guiding them through the entire process. We've created an environment where children can learn, grow, and thrive, while also offering support and resources to help families achieve and maintain self-sufficiency.”
Head Start is a key focus for Trowbridge, as it provides students with a better chance of succeeding.
"When it comes to Head Start programs, it's focused on early childhood learning,” said Trowbridge. “It's not just a daycare like you might find in some traditional places; it's truly a learning center designed to help kids get a 'head start' as they transition into the traditional school system, like kindergarten. It provides them with the tools they need to succeed."
Carradine also expressed her gratitude to the many people who helped her throughout the process of establishing the building, especially Office of Head Start Program Specialist Carol Morrison and Executive Director of the Indiana Head Start Association Rhett Cecil.
"I want to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who made this possible—the Office of Head Start, community leaders, educators, and the families who have supported this vision from the start,” said Carradine. “Thank you for your determination and dedication that have brought us to this day. I also want to thank the Regional Care Group Board of Directors, who supported the vision from the start and never wavered as I advocated for increasing the facility's size and capacity. They approved every request for resources, and we were able to bring this project across the finish line because of their support."
Trowbridge shares excitement about reaching the opening day of the establishment, eagerly anticipating the results that will come from this establishment.
"I'm excited for this to finally happen," said Trowbridge. "It's been six years in the making, with lots of starts and stops due to COVID, funding issues, and more, but today is truly a glorious day as we finally see the fruits of all that labor."
For more information please visit geminus.care/child-care/family-aid/education/head-start.
