Fostering Resilience: How Operation Hero Makes a Difference
February 16, 2022
Military life comes with its difficulties, and one major challenge is deployment. Deployments can have a significant impact on kids, highlighting some of the negative effects of growing up in a military family. When a parent is absent due to deployment, children can experience a range of emotions, including…...
Moving From Place to Place and the Effects of Military Life on Families
November 23, 2021
As military families struggle to provide normalcy for their kids, Operation Hero is here to help. There was a little boy. His name was Silas, and Silas was painfully shy. “This is the first time Silas has ever had friends,” said his dad. “We’re a military family and while we were…...
6 Simple Outdoor STEM Activities to Engage Your Child
August 11, 2016
When the weather is nice, kids have a fantastic opportunity to dive into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) activities. These activities are not only fun but also incredibly helpful for learning. They teach kids how things work and spark their curiosity about the world around them. When kids…...
Deducting Summer Camps and Daycare with the Child and Dependent Care Credit
July 25, 2016
If you paid a daycare center, babysitter, summer camp, or other care provider to care for a qualifying child under age 13 or a disabled dependent of any age, you may qualify for a tax credit of up to 35 percent of qualifying expenses of $3,000 for one child…...
Turn your permanent change of station into a trip full of memories by making sure you hand carry important items. Keep those irreplaceable items with you — not with the mover. Don't forget anything. Double-check it, and then check it again. Essential documents like orders and birth certificates Medications…...
How to legally get out of your lease due to PCS or deployment
July 9, 2016
Do you need out of your lease before the date you originally agreed to because you have orders? In the rock, paper, scissors game of legal documents, government orders trump leases, so you probably have nothing to worry about. Terminate that lease with ease with the Service Members Civil…...
When Maya accepted her placement in the Early Childhood Education Fellowship, she thought she was simply stepping into a professional development program. What she didn’t realize yet was that she was beginning a transformative journey—one that would shape not only her career, building portable skills and opening doors to new opportunities, but also the lives of countless young children and families.
On her first day, Maya entered a brightly lit child development center filled with small tables, colorful books, and the joyful hum of children discovering the world. But the fellowship quickly proved to be more than classroom exposure. It was a structured, immersive experience that combined hands-on teaching, mentorship, coursework, and leadership development.
Each week, Maya worked side-by-side with a lead teacher who guided her through the complexities of child development, how to recognize emerging language skills, how to support emotional regulation, and how to design learning experiences that spark curiosity. In the afternoons, she experienced and explored topics with her cohort like equity in early childhood education, trauma-informed teaching, and family engagement. These experiences didn’t just build knowledge — they challenged assumptions and inspired purpose.
Midway through the fellowship, Maya began to see the impact of her growth. She noticed how a child who once struggled to communicate now eagerly shared stories, or how a small adjustment in her teaching approach created a more inclusive environment for a child with sensory needs. These were not just successes; they were life-changing moments.
Equally powerful was the community. The fellowship created a network of passionate peers who shared ideas, challenges, and encouragement. Through collaborative projects and reflective discussions, Maya developed both confidence and a sense of belonging in the profession.
By the end of the program, Maya had not only developed and refined her teaching practice but also discovered her voice as an advocate for early childhood education. She left the fellowship ready to contribute to systemic improvements in the field.
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