07 Feb Humans of Head Start: Maggie

Well, I grew up in Colorado. There’s 10 children, and I’m the fifth one of them, so I’ve always been around kids because we took care of siblings. I met my husband in Colorado, and we got married and moved to California. I have two daughters and a son, and we raised our children there. Then, my oldest daughter got married and moved to Missouri. She and her husband lived here for about two years, and then, unfortunately, he got killed in an accident. She had a 16-month-old baby, so we came down here to be with her and support her. When we came here, we saw the kindness and generosity of the community, and how beautiful it was. So, my husband, myself, my son, and my daughter and her family, we all moved down here to be with her. I love it; I love this place.

I worked in a childcare center in California as a lead teacher for infants and toddlers, so I’ve always had my heart with the babies. It was hard leaving that because I loved it so much. There were a couple of months where I didn’t work, but then I knew my heart needed to come back. I found a job at Kids Academy, which was part of the Boys and Girls Club, and lo and behold, they had a partnership with Early Head Start. I got a preschool job, but I was always looking at the Early Head Start room. On my lunch breaks, I would go in there, every chance I got. I really wanted the lead teacher to see that I loved these kids and really wanted to be there. After probably six months, I got a job in there, and that’s where my start with OACAC was. I love working with the kids. I’m just drawn to them. I feel like it’s a gift, you know, like you have a calling or a gift, and mine is being with those babies—even the ones that are struggling and having a really hard time. You just love on them, take a deep breath, and sit with them with kindness and love. You can see immediately how they change. They just, I don’t know, mold into you. I just love my job. I love working with the families. I really strongly believe in what OACAC believes. I can get emotional thinking back because it’s just wonderful how you can see the families grow as you’re with them, loving on them, and helping them. We’ve seen so much progress—it’s amazing to see that.

I love my staff; they’re amazing. I would be nowhere without them. I’ve had some awesome supervisors, some amazing ones, who have led me and helped me through a lot of things. Angie Presley is one who helped me so much when I was going to school and didn’t think I could do it. She would encourage me, saying, “Yes, you can, you can do this.” I cried on her shoulder many times, and she led me right through it. And I got my associates degree at the age of 62. I accomplished that, and that was a really big moment for me.

I think you’ve heard that saying, “If you love what you do and you do what you love, every day is not like work.” That’s all I can say—I love it, I do. I know someday when I have to say goodbye, it’s going to be the hardest day of my life.

-Maggie Silva, Lead Teacher