Cots to Careers: DAAS Expands Head Start Program

The Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences is expanding their Head Start program to include infants three years of age and younger, as well as high school students. The new initiative titled “Cots to Career,” supports the academic and social development of current and future DAAS students from infancy to graduation.

The new infant program will run concurrently with the enrollment of their Early Middle College program beginning in October. Mr. Lawrence Hood, CEO of DAAS, spoke about the vision of this new program, “Our goal is to disrupt generational poverty. One of the ways to do that is really to support families from birth to career.”

Infant care programs are often overlooked and underdeveloped. Mr. Hood emphasized the importance of addressing this gap, “We know our zip code 48207 is called a desert. Not enough seats for children–especillay infant care–so we partnered with Wayne Metro to start our Head Start program. We have two classrooms, supporting 25 scholars, from six weeks to three years old. Families will be able to get prenatal care as well.” In addition to space for children, important services will be provided directly to families, “This is all about our wrap-around services for families. We have DHS services in that same building, parents can walk in get a one stop shop, drop their children off and meet with their case worker.”

Since the disruptance of the pandemic, schools have been tasked with determining the best ways to better meet the needs of their students and families. At DAAS, these discussions began immediately, “We started three years ago with our pre-school program. But we really wanted to aid scholars and families earlier. Now we have more families coming in, we have more families that are in the building. Not just dropping children off but getting services and meeting with teachers, faculty and staff. Really building strong relationships so we can support them.”

While the journey begins with infants, the expansion of an early middle college program will kickstart many scholars’ future careers. “Students are able to enroll at DAAS beginning in ninth grade starting this October. We’ll add a grade each year and it goes all the way to grade thirteen,” Mr. Hood said. “Partnering with Wayne County Community District, our children will be able to begin receiving college credit as early as 10th grade–free of charge. Once we support our scholars to achieve that associate degree, we really want to continue to support them. We are building up our alumni program to support scholars to and through college and to their careers.”

Mr. Hood hopes providing these opportunities to scholars in Detroit will set a new precedent for the city: “Innovation as an organization.”