To get a “head start” in the education process, student recruitment is now beginning for the program is a federally funded child development program that provides services to 3-to-5-year-old children of low-income families.

Known as Head Start, the program has locations in Andalusia, Opp and Florala. Enrollment priority is given to children from families meeting the federal poverty guidelines. Head Start also actively recruits and enrolls children with disabilities.

“Head Start is a great program because it combines all aspects of an early childhood program,” Andalusia’s center director, Denise Davis, said. “It covers their education, their physical well-being with dental and health screenings, and even parental support.”

Davis said only 20 slots will be available for the next school year.

“I have a lot of returning children and transfers from our early Head Start program,” she said. “What we teach in this program prepares students for kindergarten. Nowadays, the skills we think of like teaching letters, numbers and colors, students are expected to know. What they teach in kindergarten sounds like what we learned in second grade.”

In total, there are 60 students enrolled in the Andalusia program, and an additional 16 in the early head start program.

Enrollment recruitment is ongoing in all three locations; however, space is limited, Davis said.

EHS coordinator Melanie Hunt said recruitment for the 0-36-month program is also ongoing.

“These classes fill up fast, so if you’re interested in having your child attend the program, you should get your application and information in as soon as possible,” Davis said. “

At the time of making an application, one must also provide:

• a certified birth certificate;

• proof of income (taxes);

• Medicaid Card and proof of disability (if applicable); and,

• an up-to-date immunization record (Blue Card).

Additionally, a parent or a legal guardian is the only person who can make an application for the prospective student.

There is no charge for the program and students attend classes Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on a calendar that follows the local school system. Breakfast, lunch and snack are served each day.

For more information, call Florala Head Start at 334-858-3060, Opp Head Start at 334-493-4451 or Andalusia Head Start at 334-881-0181.

For information on early Head Start, call Hunt at 222-1879.

- Andalusia Star News

V an Gogh. Da Vinci. Escher. They are all famous names in art history, and they all started with sketches before stepping out into the artistic media for which they are known.

And that’s why Andalusia Adult Activity Center art instructor Kathy Grantham hopes to instill drawing basics in minds of students taking her newest class – sketch art.

“Drawing is really a prerequisite to painting,” she said.

Thursday was the first day of the twice-monthly class, and students got right to work learning to sketch a sphere, while learning about lines, dots and positive and negative spaces.

Students also learned how to blend with stumps and how to utilize the stump tool in drawing.

“In the next class, we’ll work with cans and boxes,” Grantham said. “And then we’ll learn about vanishing points and perspective, and things like buildings and houses – geometric and organic.”

Grantham said eventually, students will learn to use color, oils and soft pastels.

“This class should lead them into oils,” she said.

The class meets on the second and fourth Thursdays from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. Cost is $10, and students are responsible for supplies, which include items such as a sketch board, newspaper print, drawing sketch pad, charcoal, color charcoal, erasers, a drawing pencil set, conte pencils, soft pastel set and oil pastel set.

Grantham said there are seven or eight people signed up and she has room for two more students.

Need help feeding your pet?

Then, the Andalusia Animal Shelter and the Andalusia Area Humane Society can help, said Debra Evans with the AAHS.

“We’re offering free pet food to those in need in observance of the National Day of Service on Jan. 19,” Evans said. “The pet food pantry will provide temporary assistance to local senior citizens, low-income families, and those who have fallen on tough times.

“When people are struggling, a few bags of free dog or cat food and a little time can be all that’s needed to keep someone from giving up their beloved pet,” Evans said. “We hope to provide that bridge for them to hang on until things get better.”

Supplies are limited and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis beginning at 10 a.m. on Jan. 19 at the Andalusia Area Humane Society building located at 411 Pearl Street.

Additional distribution dates to be determined, Evans said.

–Stephanie Nelson

Andalusia made the cover of the quarterly Alabama Municipal Journal out this week, one of three communities receiving the 2013 Municipal Quality of Life Award.

“I am very pleased,” Mayor Earl Johnson said. “I’m holding the magazine and the front of it has a map of the state of Alabama, with a bright gold star over Andalusia.”

The Alabama League of Municipalities encourages cities across the state to enter its annual competition. Johnson said this year is the first time Andalusia has entered, as far as he knows. Andalusia received the award in the population division 5,001 to 12,000, and was recognized for his River Falls Street and AlaTex Monument Park work.

The city purchased the old AlaTex Textile Mill in 2009 and has since partnered with the Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce to create a new chamber office and welcome center, as well as a national textile monument in tribute to the thousands who worked at the site and in textile mills all over the United States.

The $5 million project includes the River Falls Street renovation, as well as improvements to the AlaTex corporate headquarters and the adjacent property.

In addition, former AlaTex employees and members of their families contributed $40,000 for the purchase of monuments of the site.

The awards were designed by the League to recognize innovative projects that improve the quality of life for citizens. The award for small towns went to the Town of Priceville for the Morgan County Veterans Memorial and the award for large cities went to Talladega for Project Green, for a biodiesel project. Honorable mentions went to Montevallo for a bicycling program; Robertsdale for a Neighbors Helping Neighbors Utility Assistance program.

Johnson said the award will generate positive publicity for Andalusia.

“This journal goes out to literally tens of thousands of people around the country. It certainly goes out to thousands in Alabama. It will be seen by people who are studying these things to determine where is the action going on in this or that state,” he said. “Hopefully, it will spur their interest to come see us, spend time here, and locate a business or family here.”

Johnson said this is the first time Andalusia has applied for the award, although there are a number of projects which might have deserved the recognition.