Logue speaks with Morning Sentinel about importance of early education programs

Mary Ellin Logue, an associate professor in the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development, was interviewed by the Morning Sentinel for an article about the state’s Early Head Start programs and potential budget cuts. Head Start agencies connect families and their children with health care, primary providers, mental health services and more, according to the article. “The origins of Early Head Start come out of our understanding of early intervention,” said Logue, who teaches early childhood education classes and has extensive experience with Head Start. “The key to early intervention is supporting families.” In these early experiences, she said, toddlers establish relationships with adults and learn through face-to-face interactions. The first few years “set the foundation for future learning,” she said, adding the connection with families is an important piece. “It’s about resiliency and vulnerability. There are a lot of people who have a rough time in life, but if they get a second chance, they can reset,” Logue said. “Head Start is a place where many families can start again and do better with their kids than their own experience was.”