By Melanie Slone
Oscar Villegas, 19, a molecular cellular biology student at UC San Diego and an accomplished musician, took part in Head Start and MAAC as a child. He credits the Family Child Care Development Program (FCCP) and teachers like Janice and Elizabeth with helping him get where he is today.
“There were many moments where we would engage in small music activities as well as looking through microscopes or finding insects to play with,” he tells us. “All those little instances with MAAC and Head Start really sparked that fire in me to want to not just study science but also engage in music.”
Yet, the current federal government has held discussions that consider eliminating early education programs like these from the budget.
Head Start, created under President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “war on poverty,” offers childcare and preschool to low-income families. Although the program was not mentioned in the preliminary budget, “we are concerned about the significant cuts that threaten access to health services, education, and support for hundreds of thousands of families,” says Yasmina Vinci, the executive director for the National Head Start Association.
Without Head Start, more than 1 million parents who rely on the program would be unable to go to work, she adds. Meals, developmental screenings and health care for nearly 800,000 children would disappear.
Since 1965, Head Start has helped about 40 million low-income families with educational, health, childcare, and other services and allows parents to go to work as their children develop their cognitive, social, and emotional skills.
Oscar’s Story
Head Start teaches “the basic of compassion, sharing, requirements to understand people. We as humans are social beings,” says Oscar. “Without empathy and compassion, we’re not able to do anything. It’s teamwork that really builds our society.”
A graduate of Rancho Buena Vista High School, Oscar is grateful for his mother’s support. “She works a lot,” he says. “I owe my life to her for everything she’s done.”
Head Start and MAAC were essential in helping her, he adds. “It was through Head Start where she could manage her own life through work as well as take care of me. Her trust in Elizabeth and Janice and Head Start is what allowed her to keep supporting me.”
Oscar is concerned about the proposed budget cuts to programs. “Cutting budgets for the education system and programs like this is really undervaluing what they do,” he says. “Without Head Start programs, families struggle heavily, families that may hold different jobs but can’t raise their child as effectively.”
He says children are the future, but it’s just as important for parents to learn how to raise them. “We need support like MAAC and Head Start in order to support these parents who are already probably struggling.”
Today, besides being a fulltime college student, Oscar participates in the UCSD Chamber Orchestra and plays the violin at events. He has explored trumpet, voice, and even bass guitar.
MAAC hires him to play the violin at some of their lunches and meetings. He’s also available for events like weddings, quinceañeras, and birthday parties. “I play because it’s for the community,” he says. “There’s talent out there. If people are not afraid to step out of their shell, then more talent can be expressed to show what we’re capable of.”
Oscar thanks Head Start and MAAC “for helping my mom support me and help make me the person I am today.”
To play at an event, Oscar can be contacted at 760-847-6932.
