Cook Inlet Native Head Start

May the 4th be with you… and with some clotheslinesome news! ✨

We’re officially announcing the date for one of our most anticipated events of the year — Clothesline Project!

Join us on Saturday, August 1st from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Clark Middle School, where APD and incredible community partners will be coming together to support local students and families as they gear up for the new school year.

What’s in store? Think of it as a back-to-school launchpad 🚀
Families can expect a wide range of free items and services, including:

New winter jackets
Fall & winter boots
Helmets
Socks & underwear
Fresh haircuts
Health immunization screenings
Free food & drinks
Face painting
Bounce house fun
…and plenty more surprises!

This event is all about setting kids up for success while creating a fun, welcoming space for the whole community.

We can’t wait to see you there 💙

Office of Head Start Director Lizbeth Casco White took the stage today and left no doubt about where she comes from — or where she's going. A first-generation American, former teenage mom, and Head Start parent, she went from a high school diploma to a juris doctorate, often with her son in class beside her. Today, she stood before thousands of Head Start professionals and delivered a challenge that will stay with us:

"Go back to your classrooms, centers, and boardrooms and look for the Liz in the lobby — the mom who feels invisible and the child society has already dismissed. Be the architect of their fresh start every day."

And she reminded us why this program exists: "In Head Start, we don't just enroll a child. We embrace a family."

If you're with us in Minneapolis, share your favorite moment on social media with .

📣 THE COUNTDOWN IS ON! 96 DAYS UNTIL THE 2026 COOK INLET NATIVE HEAD START CANOE JOURNEY!

🌅 Canoe Journey is a kid-free canoe camping trip with CINHS students' caregivers and staff
🗓️ June 1-5, 2026
📍 Whittier, AK (launch and return point)

🛶 Only 26 seats are open to CINHS students' caregivers: parents/guardians, grandparents, aunties & uncles
⛺️ Tents, food, and safety gear are provided — personal gear (rain, sleeping) may be provided if needed
🏋️‍♀️ Get fit for the journey: enjoy a gym membership to Planet Fitness (limited availability)
✅ Secure your spot today! Email Legacy Bearer, Mattox Metcalf at [email protected]

🌊 If you’ve been on a canoe journey, share a takeaway in the chat below! 👇
Pictures credited to 📸 Dixie Hutchinson ☺️