Ollie’s journey from shy to social butterfly
When three-year-old Ollie enrolled in Head Start, it wasn’t because his mom, Kirstan, was worried about academics. At just three years old, he was already well ahead for his age. “What he really needed was to work on his social skills.” Says his mom, Kirstan Fisher, who is also employed in the preschool program at Futures. “I knew preschool would be the perfect place to learn how to interact with others and get into the groove of school and kindergarten.”
For the first two years of his life, Ollie had mostly been at home. He was playful with his siblings, but with other children he preferred playing independently or playing beside them rather than with them. Kirstan hoped preschool would help him learn how to share, communicate his needs, and develop social skills before kindergarten.
It did exactly that.
“He’s become a social butterfly,” Kirstan said. “He has learned how to play with friends, not just alongside them.”
Today, Ollie enjoys spending time with classmates, participates in activities with others, and has grown more comfortable communicating and engaging in group settings. For Kirstan, watching that transformation has been especially rewarding.
As a parent, she encourages families not to assume they won’t qualify for Head Start.
“I’ve had a lot of families say they don’t think they’ll be eligible,” she said. “I always tell them to reach out and ask. Even if a child doesn’t qualify, Futures can connect families with other resources. People don’t always realize everything that’s available.”
Kirstan enrolled Ollie after seeing the impact the program had on her older children. Although her family exceeds the income guidelines, Ollie met other qualifications and was able to attend half-day preschool.
“It’s not just for children with special needs,” Kirstan said. “It’s for all children. I try to encourage people to give it a chance because people don’t realize all that Futures offers.”
Stories like Ollie’s have shaped our first 50 years — and inspires our next 50. Learn more or donate today at www.futures-unlimited.org.
2025 Head Start & Early Head Start Report to the Public
The general public, families in services and employees are invited to view this report which covers the 2024-2025 school year and includes:
- Pertinent numbers associated with early childhood programs
- Family engagement activities
- Program highlights and school-readiness efforts
- Federal review & audit results
- Program revenue and expenses
Click HERE and take a look!
Celebrating new CDA achievements
We are proud to recognize two dedicated staff members who have recently earned their Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials.
Shirley Horsch earned her Home Visitor CDA. With a preschool CDA already under her belt, she entered the process with a strong understanding of the CDA portfolio requirements, allowing her to navigate the work efficiently and confidently. Her initiative and preparedness are a strong example of professionalism and adaptability.
Roxan Webster earned her Preschool CDA, completing the rigorous process that includes coursework, documentation, and demonstrated competency in early childhood education. Her accomplishment reflects a deep commitment to her role and to providing high-quality learning experiences for the children she serves. Achieving a CDA requires persistence, organization, and a genuine investment in professional growth—qualities Roxan consistently demonstrates in her work.
We congratulate Shirley and Roxan on their achievements, which strengthen our programs and reinforce the high standards we strive to uphold for children, families, and our community.
Legislative luncheon
We recently enjoyed hosting our legislators for lunch and a tour of our grounds! Sen. Alley and representatives Rhiley and Roth attended.
It was a great visit filled with thoughtful questions, meaningful conversations, and genuine appreciation for our workforce. Throughout the tour, we discussed the issues and challenges that impact our ability to provide critical services in our community — and we’re grateful for our legislators’ time, interest, and attentiveness to those discussions.
Thank you for visiting and for supporting the work that makes a difference in Sumner County!
Supporting oral health
At Futures we hosted dental checks and handed out over 200 smile kits to children & families in our community. Smile kits included age-appropriate toothbrushes, toothpastes, and dental floss.
A special thank-you to Dr. Small, our friend and a longtime provider in our area, for conducting oral-health checks for children in our program. Thank you also to Delta Dental of Kansas for donating the kits each year.
Good oral health really matters. We encourage children and families to build daily oral habits like teeth-brushing and flossing. There is strong evidence that poor oral health in children can affect their ability to learn, concentrate, and perform at school.
When families and children have access to simple tools and good education, it supports their well-being now and later.