Kootenai Valley Head Start recently received a $1 million federal grant for the continuation of early childhood education services.

The funding, announced by U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke in January, enables Head Start to continue preparing youth in Lincoln County for their futures. The money comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services CH-Head Start Projects program.

Program Director Peggy Rayome explained the operation, which has existed for 28 years, in a recent interview.

The program receives a 5-year grant which they can reapply for on a rolling basis, she said. Next year the program will be going into the fourth year. The grant provides certainty for the future of the program.

“Raising a family is hard, no matter where you live but in rural communities there are unique challenges," Zinke said in a press release. "Head start is an important program for kids and parents across Montana, especially in communities like Libby and Troy where childcare and early childhood education services are not as readily available. “The Kootenai Valley Head Start program gives kids a safe and healthy learning environment around kids their own age and their work hasn’t gone unnoticed. I look forward to working them in the future and I am eager to see the positive impact their staff will do with this award.”

In the past the program has received other grants, Rayome said. Last year they received $40,000 in American Recovery Plan Act funding and they have been granted $108,000 this year as well.

Students qualify for the head start program based on income. The eligibility is set by government guidelines and the program can accept the following percentages of students: 0-100% of low income, 35% of children between 100-130% average income; 10% of children from over income slots.

“Knowing that we are going to be running out of ARPA funding and all these extra funds that we’ve had recently, we’ve been stocking up on stuff because we know we’ll go back to our regular funding,” Rayome said.

The head start program was first introduced to the community in 1995, Rayome said. The program’s 28 staff includes family service workers, people in health and safety, food service management and transportation.

“There were some people that saw the need for the community,” she said.

Through expansions, organizers built the first building in Troy in 1997, which was built on school district property. Currently in Troy the program’s capacity is 16-17 students. In Libby there are about 80 children. The full capacity is 96.

“We provide preschool services for three and four year olds. Its comprehensive preschool services. Getting the child ready for the next step in life,” Rayome said.

The Head Start program is not just about the family, it’s about learning to deal with social and emotional aspects of life for children, Rayome said. They also provide resources to students that include guiding housing decisions, health and dental help and providing nutritious meals.

“We have a nutrition specialist, a licensed nutritionist out of the hospital, that looks at our menus, and they've always been really good for the variety of foods the kids get,” Rayome said.

Rayome said once children get the social and emotional aspects, their success in academics follows.

“What we are doing is laying the groundwork, and of course the groundwork will be social, emotional and academics,” she said. “A lot of these kids have never played with another friend, and at age three and four that's when you learn.”