Submitted photo Head Start Director Cindy Huey recently graduated from the the Head Start -- Johnson & Johnson Management Fellows Program. [Click to enlarge]

LOS ANGELES -- Training completed by Head Start Director Cindy Huey will ultimately benefit children and their families from Delta Area Economic Opportunity in Portageville. Huey is one of 40 graduates of the Head Start -- Johnson & Johnson Management Fellows Program, an intensive two-week program, conducted at the UCLA Anderson School of Management in Los Angeles. The program was developed in 1991 to strengthen the management skills of Head Start administrators.

"As a former participant, I can personally acknowledge the insight and education this program offers to Head Start leaders," said Ron Herndon, chairman of the National Head Start Association. "Participants learn about financial management and data analysis, while developing a keen understanding of the broader environment in which Head Start operates."

Throughout the program, fellows are equipped with the tools they will need to effectively lead and deliver developmental services in changing environments, secure funding, efficiently implement programs and network with other Head Start managers across the nation. Fellowships are awarded annually to Head Start administrators who have been selected by a specially assembled Program Advisory Board. Since the program's inception, more than 1,080 executives, representing 820 agencies, have graduated with enhanced management and leadership abilities.

"Head Start creates the foundation for a wonderful future for children and their families," said Sharon D'Agostino, vice president of Corporate Contributions and Community Relations at Johnson & Johnson. "Graduates of the Head Start -- Johnson & Johnson program have introduced successful community initiatives that make a lasting impact on the health, nutrition, and school readiness of the children they serve."