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The jobs pay well above minimum wage, and the women have the potential to fairly quickly earn $40,000 to $45,000 a year. “If a mother is successful and working and making a living wage, not only do you change her life, but you change the lives of her children and future generations to come,� Potter said. “It’s incredible, really, and without a doubt, it’s the most rewarding work of my career.� The women attend class three times a week for 16 weeks. There are two days of instruction, and the third is devoted to job readiness. The students learn about time management, how to have a successful interview and dress professionally, and they also receive help writing resumes. “I came up here nervous, but after being here and doing all we’ve done, it’s easier than I thought it would be, and it’s actually kind of fun,� said 23-year-old Samantha Snow as her classmate, Jateviyah Cole, worked on a computer’s motherboard. “It’s an amazing program, especially for mothers,� said Snow, who has two children. Cole, who recently got out of the military after serving six years and is looking to get back into the workforce, agreed. “You’re always going to grow in this field,� the 26-year-old mother of two said. “I’ll never be without a job.� Threatt and her Head Start teachers help recruit parents for the program as they enroll their children. Head Start parents and former parents get priority, and then the program is offered to others in the community. Knowing that their kids will be well cared for allows them to focus on their studies and pour their energies into improving their lives. The children, ages 3-5, are preparing for their own futures. In addition to receiving breakfast, lunch and snacks, the boys and girls receive health and dental screenings, and social workers help connect parents to community services for their kids. Most importantly, the children develop the basic skills they need for kindergarten. Before school starts, they know how to sit still for a story, walk in a line and follow directions, and they’ve also had exposure to technology, educational games and other learning opportunities. “If you really want to know the difference that Head Start or any quality pre-K program makes, ask a kindergarten teacher,� Threatt said. “They are ready for school and it pays off in the long run. Children who go to Head Start are less likely to go to prison, more likely to graduate from high school and less likely to become teen parents.� While Threatt has made a career of helping children reach their full potential, it’s gratifying to help improve the lives of the mothers, as well. She recently went to the drug store to pick up a prescription and was waited on by a past participant who is a pharmacy technician. “That’s when I truly realized the impact our program has and the difference these small opportunities make,� Threatt said. That’s why Bostic wanted to see the program firsthand. The Pell City program is one of several workforce development programs he is visiting in order to get a better idea of “what’s happening on the ground� and what programs might work in other places. “The focus on careers and jobs that are likely to be around for a while, I think, is quite useful,� he said. “If you can get the funding together and you have talented workers and connections to employers, I think it’s a great program to get people into career paths that are going to be self-sustaining.�
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