Growing up, when I was asked what I wanted to do when I was older, I always responded with “I want to help others.” I was unsure what this would look like in action, but in my freshman year at College of the Holy Cross, I reached some clarity. I realized I was interested in psychology and wanted to find a way to help young children in this area. This interest has only expanded since, now going into my senior year of college, and largely as a result of my summer spent interning with Edward Street, where my eyes were opened to early childhood specifically.
My Time at Edward Street
I was interested in working with Edward Street due to the fact that I had a shared goal: helping young children receive high quality education and care which will prepare them for life success. Throughout this summer, I have taken part in an array of projects aligned with this goal.
These projects included:
- Outreach and logistic planning for Edward Street’s 13th annual Day of Play Family Festival
- Researching and writing play newsletters for families in Worcester
- Designing an Art Display for a Woo-Labs and Guild of St. Agnes partner project, Emotions Through Photography
- Attending a variety of meetings and conferences, notably the Strategies for Children 9:30 calls and an Early Education and Child Care Task Force listening session, among others
- Attending partner childcare programs with our Master Teacher Jo Ann Borinski and SPED Coach Di-Ann Ethier
I also got to see the ins and outs of running a nonprofit organization and what exactly this entails. All of these wonderful experiences that Edward Street has granted me have expanded not only my knowledge but also my passion in the early childhood field.
The necessity of early childhood advocacy and support is more clear to me than before.
The work I completed for the annual Day of Play Festival conveyed to me the critical role of play for children. It promotes healthy development by aiding gross and fine motor skills, imaginative thinking, social-emotional skills, health and wellbeing, and so much more. Ensuring young children experience play in education and care settings and at home supports their healthy development. Attending meetings and conferences broadened my awareness of the types of issues in early childhood and also offered solutions for improvement, bringing light to what work must be done. Working with children in our partner programs at Webster Square, the Guild of St. Agnes, Worcester Comprehensive, the YWCA, and Rainbow Child Development allowed me to see how the outside work of Edward Street directly helps these children, especially through their Master Teacher program. This direct work also allowed me to see the critical need for more support and advocacy for these kids.
Reflecting and Continued Action
Through reflection, I am able to combine what I have learned at Holy Cross as a psychology major and education minor and my experience working at Edward Street to recognize the need for increased support and change in order to uplift early childhood education and care. It is essential that people continue to use their voices and advocate for the young children who do not yet have the voice to advocate for themselves. I have watched as people at Edward Street and so many other Worcester-based organizations have done just this through systems such as the Early Childhood Agenda run by Strategies for Children, the Healey-Driscoll Administration's Early Education and Child Care Task Force, and many more. People must continue working to improve early childhood education and care.
It is also crucial that people recognize the necessity of psychological care and treatment in early childhood. As explained by Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child, young children can and do experience significant mental health issues and neurodevelopmental disabilities. Without proper care, treatment, and diagnoses, these problems will expand throughout these children’s lives and oftentimes will manifest as more severe issues such as anxiety or depression. We must focus on tackling these psychological issues head on when they begin and getting children the help they need at a young age in order to foster healthy development and success as they grow.
The team at Edward Street has revealed to me the importance of work in early childhood, specifically in psychological care, and I am so thankful for all of the opportunities they have provided to me. I am incredibly grateful for the team I was able to work with, Eve Gilmore, Kim Davenport, Toni Ostrow, Jo Ann Borinski, and Di-Ann Eithier, all of whom immediately accepted me and were willing to work with me. I step away from this summer enlightened and hopeful, ready to watch as Edward Street and other early childhood advocates use their voices to improve the lives of children. I am also ready to continue my education in this field and contribute to this necessary work.