The Heart of Head Start: How the Y Supports Children & Families Every Day
Release Date: 12/17/2025
Turning Retirement into a Mission: Expanding Access to Camp
(Y) Connect
Today, we’re joined by Darrell Edquist, a member of the Community Engagement Board at the Isakson/Alpharetta Family YMCA, who has turned his retirement into something incredibly meaningful. Darrell set a personal goal to help 4,000 children—kids who might not otherwise have the opportunity—experience summer camp at the Y. And he didn’t just set the goal—he got to work. As of last week, he’s already raised enough support to send 74 kids to camp this summer. It’s a powerful reminder of what’s possible when someone decides to use their time, their relationships, and their energy...
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Fan Favorite: Dr. Lori Duckett on Inclusion & Impact at the Y
(Y) Connect
Today on (Y) Connect, we’re honored to welcome Dr. Lori Duckett—physician, advocate, and proud member of the Andrew & Walter Young Family YMCA. Dr. Duckett is a passionate supporter of inclusive sports and has been instrumental in introducing Special Olympics programming to the Y. Her leadership is helping to ensure that athletes of all abilities feel seen, supported, and celebrated. In today’s episode, we’ll hear how Dr. Duckett’s medical background, personal experiences, and unwavering belief in equity have shaped her journey—and how the Y community is growing stronger and...
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Y Member Trinity Smith Helps Teen Girls Thrive
(Y) Connect
Today, we’re joined by Trinity Smith, a high school senior and member of the East Lake Family YMCA who is already making an incredible impact in her community. Through her nonprofit Roots In Her Health, Trinity leads weekly wellness sessions for middle school girls at the Y, creating a space where they can slow down, talk openly, learn about their health and well-being, and build confidence in who they are. Her work was inspired by her own experience growing up with a chronic illness and learning how important it is for young people to understand their bodies and advocate for...
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Y Summer Camp Turns Into a Lifetime Together
(Y) Connect
Every now and then, we get to share a story that just makes you smile from the very beginning. And this is one of those. Back in the summer of 1989, at YMCA Camp High Harbour, two teenagers met on the shores of Lake Burton. Think mix tapes, handwritten notes in camp mailboxes, long days on the dock, and campfire songs under the North Georgia sky. They spent that summer leading, laughing, and becoming friends in the way only camp can create. Then life took over. They went their separate ways. College. Careers. Marriage. Children. Health challenges: big milestones and hard seasons. Nearly thirty...
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You Belong Here
(Y) Connect
Today we’re talking about something that sits at the heart of our new Strategic Plan’s PEOPLE goal: building community within the YMCA. We’re joined by three leaders who live this work every day: Timika Tucker from the Robert D. Fowler Y, Keeley Chester from the Forsyth County Family Y, and Shirene Sethi from the Carl E. Sanders at Buckhead Family Y. Each of them leads the membership experience at their YMCA. They’re the people thinking deeply about what it feels like when someone walks through our doors for the first time, when a member is struggling, when a family is trying to find...
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A Living Legacy
(Y) Connect
This February, as we recognize Black History Month and its 100th anniversary, we’re honored to be joined by brothers Andrew Young and Walter Young, namesakes of the Andrew & Walter Young Family YMCA. Ambassador Andrew Young’s life of service spans the civil rights movement, Congress, the United Nations, and the Mayor’s Office here in Atlanta. Throughout it all, his leadership has been grounded in dignity, justice, and a deep belief in the power of people and community. Dr. Walter Young has led with that same spirit through healthcare, education, and civic life, showing what...
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Lauren Koontz on the Next Chapter of the Y
(Y) Connect
When we launched Y Connect in November 2022, one of our very first guests was our President and CEO, Lauren Koontz. At the time, we were just beginning this storytelling journey, and the Y was navigating a world still finding its footing after the pandemic. Fast forward to today. Lauren has now served as President and CEO of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta for more than six years, leading the organization through moments of challenge, growth, and transformation. This month, the Y officially launches its new three-year strategic plan, a plan shaped by deep listening, data, and a clear belief in the...
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Fan Favorite: The Legacy of South Fulton Running Partners and the YMCA
(Y) Connect
Today on (Y) Connect, we're thrilled to highlight the story of a community rooted in strength, endurance, and an unwavering commitment to health and wellness. Joining us is Monte Fowler, a veteran member of the South Fulton Running Partners—the nation's oldest Black recreation running group. For decades, this remarkable group has shared a deep connection with the Andrew & Walter Young Family YMCA, fostering a space where individuals unite to run and uplift one another. Monte brings a unique perspective as someone who grew up at the Y served on the YMCA board, and has dedicated years to...
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YMCA’s New National Campaign: No Place Like This Place
(Y) Connect
The YMCA has launched a new national brand campaign titled No Place Like This Place. At its heart, the campaign captures something many of us instinctively know to be true: the Y is more than a building, a workout, or a program. It’s a place where connection happens, where people belong, and where lives are shaped in quiet and meaningful ways every single day. To help us tell the story behind the campaign, we’re joined by two leaders who play an important role in bringing it to life. James Reynolds, our Chief Marketing Officer, and Kristin McEwen, our Chief Experience Officer. Together,...
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What 2025 Taught Us at (Y) Connect
(Y) Connect
Before we jump into another year of Y Connect, we wanted to pause and look back. 2025 was a meaningful year for this podcast. We sat down with members, staff, partners, and community leaders who reminded us why the YMCA matters and how deeply it shows up in people’s lives. We heard stories of belonging, resilience, leadership, and impact that stayed with us long after the microphones were turned off. Today, we are reflecting on our favorite moments from this past year, the conversations that surprised us, what we learned about the YMCA that we didn’t fully understand before, and what...
info_outlineThe YMCA’s Head Start programs provide comprehensive support that transforms entire families, not just children. In this powerful episode of Y Connect, hosts Zarinah, Robert, and Allison speak with early childhood education leaders LaShaundra McDonald and Shamyra Thompson about the life-changing work happening at YMCA early learning centers. Both directors share their personal journeys from being Head Start parents to becoming passionate advocates for family support services. They discuss how comprehensive child development goes beyond academics to include mental health support, workforce development, and addressing food insecurity. Learn how meaningful family support creates opportunities that change entire family trajectories through parent engagement, fatherhood initiatives, and collaborative community partnership programs.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✅ How Head Start programs provide comprehensive child development that addresses academic, social, emotional, and physical needs while supporting entire families through resource connections and workforce development opportunities.
✅ Why parent engagement and family support services are critical components of effective early childhood education, including how family service associates build trusting relationships and connect families with housing, food, and mental health support resources.
✅ How personal experiences as Head Start parents shaped LaShaundra McDonald and Shamyra Thompson's leadership approaches, enabling them to create welcoming early learning centers where families feel safe, seen, and supported through initiatives like the fatherhood initiative.
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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Head Start programs and their impact on early childhood education, and LaShaundra shares how volunteering led her to discover her passion for working with children
05:53 Shamyra explains how the Head Start program helped her complete her GED and build a career in early learning centers
10:04 Description of a high-quality classroom, including age-appropriate materials and open-ended questions
13:05 Discussion of meaningful family support beyond academics, including workforce development, rental assistance, food resources, and mental health support for children
15:48 The fatherhood initiative, including daddy daycare events, classroom activities and parent engagement opportunities
21:55 Head Start programs work when communities partner together to provide comprehensive child development for entire families
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
💎 Head Start programs deliver comprehensive child development while simultaneously supporting parents through family support services, resource connections, and workforce development opportunities that transform entire family trajectories.
💎 Early childhood education requires strong parent engagement and family service associates who build trusting relationships with families, understand their unique challenges, and proactively connect them with resources for housing, food insecurity, mental health support, and employment.
💎 Leaders like LaShaundra McDonald and Shamyra Thompson demonstrate how personal experience as Head Start parents enriches their leadership in early learning centers.
ABOUT THE GUEST:
LaShaundra McDonald is the Center Director at the Dean Rusk YMCA Head Start Academy with over 23 years of experience in the Early Learning field. LaShaundra has a Master's in both Human Services and Early Childhood Education. It is her goal to ensure that each child is provided a high-quality education in a safe and respectful environment that acknowledges and respects the diversity of each family, culture, and socio-economic background, while continuing to foster a foundation for life-long learning.
Shamyra Thompson serves as the Center Director/FSA for the YMCA Barrow County Early Learning Center. With 19 years of experience in Early Childhood Education, Mrs. Thompson holds a TCC, Diploma, and Associate’s degree in Early Care and Education, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. She has also earned her 40-hour Director’s Training Credential.
Head Start has been a defining part of her professional journey—both as a former Head Start parent and now as an experienced Head Start educator. Her educational philosophy centers on creating a positive, developmentally enriching learning environment that builds a strong foundation for lifelong learning. She firmly believes that every child deserves access to high-quality education and exceptional care during their early years.
Mrs. Thompson is honored to serve in her current role and is committed to continued growth and leadership within the Head Start program.
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