2026 Head Start Hero Awards

At this year’s Advocacy Day, we were especially proud to present the Head Start Hero award to two incredibly deserving members of the state assembly who also happen to be Head Start alumni: Patrick Ahrens and Heather Hadwick. The Head Start Hero award was created to honor individuals who go above and beyond to support and protect Head Start–individuals who become heroes to the children and families we serve.

In accepting the award, Assemblymember Hadwick shared that she is proud to fight for Head Start, especially as someone “with a perfect ACES score, who, in all odds, should not be standing here.”

It’s not every day that legislators cold-call their constituents simply to ask, “How can I help?” But that’s exactly what they did. Last April, when news broke that the White House was considering eliminating Head Start, HSC’s phone was ringing constantly–mostly with calls from program directors and news reporters. But one of the most meaningful calls came from our honorees, asking how they could help.

These days, it feels like there aren’t many topics that Republicans and Democrats agree on. Yet this year we honored a Republican and a Democrat, who collaborated to protect Head Start. Together, they sponsored a letter to Congress from the state legislature that garnered a record number of bipartisan signatures. They co-authored a widely read op-ed in The Sacramento Bee, elevating the importance of Head Start. They declared May as Head Start Month, again calling on Congress to preserve the program. At every turn, they stood shoulder to shoulder with us—advocating, elevating, and protecting this vital program.

In the face of unprecedented threats, they did not hesitate. They used their voices and their platforms to ensure that Head Start—and the children and families who rely on it—were protected.

Thanks to our collective efforts, Head Start remains strong. Not only was the program preserved, but we secured a modest increase in funding this year—an especially poignant victory.

Assemblymembers Ahrens and Hadwick remind us that when we center children, partnerships and progress are achievable. Assemblymember Ahrens promised that as long as he is in the legislature, Head Start will “have an advocate, a champion…on the front lines with you.”