The Heart of Head Start: How the Y Supports Children & Families Every Day
Release Date: 12/17/2025
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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(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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The Heart of Head Start: How the Y Supports Children & Families Every Day
(Y) Connect
The 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...
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Shared International Purpose: The Y Welcomes Tushig from Mongolia
(Y) Connect
Today on Y Connect, we’re stepping into a global conversation. Over the past several weeks, our team has had the privilege of hosting Tushig Samdan, a nonprofit leader from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, who was in Atlanta through the U.S. Department of State’s Professional Fellows Program. Tushig has spent nearly a decade leading the Badraa Foundation to Justice, an organization dedicated to expanding educational opportunities for Mongolian university students. Joining Tushig for today’s conversation is our colleague Ryan Greenstein, the Y’s Advocacy Program Manager. Ryan first learned...
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Creating Space for Teens to Belong — A Conversation with Leah Willig
(Y) Connect
Today on Y Connect, we’re joined by Leah Willig, the Y’s Director of Teen Programs. Leah brings over a decade of youth development experience, having spent years leading impactful programming at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta before joining the Y. Her work has always focused on creating spaces where teens can explore who they are, connect, and envision what’s possible in their futures. At the Y, Leah is leading efforts to expand and elevate teen programming across our association from monthly Teen Nights that bring youth together in fun, safe environments to academic and...
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(Y) Connect
Today on Y Connect, we’re joined by a powerhouse leader whose commitment to purpose and community is shaping what corporate social responsibility looks like in Metro Atlanta and beyond, Carley Stephens, Director of Corporate Giving at Gas South and Executive Director of the Cobb EMC Foundation. Gas South, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cobb EMC, is one of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta’s most generous corporate partners, giving not only through financial support but also through the countless volunteer hours employees dedicate to helping others. Carley is known for leading with heart and...
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Fan Favorite: Building Community through Fitness at the Y
(Y) Connect
When people join the YMCA, they have access to more than 3,000 group fitness classes. The Y offers everything from cycling to dance to yoga, flexibility, strength and more, all of which impact a person’s overall physical, mental and emotional health. As our guests explain, perhaps one of the best parts of these classes is the close-knit community that is formed as a result. IN THIS EPISODE: 02:13 Jennifer describes what goes on in determining the variety of classes offered at the Y and how a participant determines which class they should take depending on their fitness level 04:23 Maura...
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(Y) Connect
We have two inspiring guests today. Jim Snoddy, a member of the Robert D. Fowler Family Y, who has lost nearly 100 pounds through the YMCA’s supportive wellness programs, and Beth Girmay, the health & wellness instructor who has guided Jim every step of the way. Jim also serves on the Branch Community Engagement Board, which, as I understand it, plays pickleball almost every day. Today, we’re discussing transformation, body, mind, habits and the role of coaching, community, consistency, and mindset. We’ll delve into how the YMCA’s Coach Approach & Weight Loss For Life programs...
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Ep. 71 From YMCA to Team USA: Kari Knotts’ Volleyball Journey
(Y) Connect
On today’s episode of (Y) Connect, we’re joined by someone who’s already making waves on the national stage while still just beginning her high school journey. At only 14 years old, Kari Knotts has emerged as one of the brightest young talents in U.S. volleyball. Kari is a freshman at The Lovett School, a proud member of the Northeast Cobb Family YMCA, and a fierce competitor for A5 Volleyball Club. She recently became the youngest member of the U19 USA National Volleyball Team, where she was named both MVP and Best Spiker at the Pan-American Cup. From her start at the YMCA to winning...
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.
Join the Y Connect Podcast to discover inspiring stories of transformation and wellness. Tune in for practical tips and community-driven insights on fitness transformation. Subscribe now to elevate your fitness journey!
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.
RESOURCES MENTIONED: