Road to Success

Throughout 2024, the Office of Childhood (OOC) will share “Roads to Success,” a collection of stories from professionals and higher education institutions. Stories from professionals feature achievements from people working in childhood programs such as home visiting, early intervention, child care, Head Start, preschool, and afterschool. Stories from higher education institutions highlight colleges and universities who are using innovative methods to support and grow the early childhood workforce. There are many roads to success, it is important to highlight the varying and unique pathways that professionals take and how higher education programs can pave the way.  You can view previous editions of the Road to Success as well. 

This month’s Road to Success story features Elijah Chauncey, a current junior at Joplin High School in Joplin. Elijah is working towards his Child Development Associate (CDA) certification to jumpstart his career by taking early childhood courses at Franklin Technical Center (FTC). Elijah will graduate from high school in 2025 and obtain his CDA once he turns 18. Elijah said he first became interested in the CDA during his sophomore year of high school when he toured the early childhood classroom at FTC. Elijah shared, “something about being in that room spoke to me and I felt very inspired; I just wanted to join the program.”

Elijah spoke about his current coursework centering around storytelling and utilizing books in the classroom. He has enjoyed the opportunity his early childhood courses give him to begin preparing his portfolio - a certification requirement for the CDA. Elijah is currently volunteering in the South Joplin Head Start/Early Head Start in conjunction with his high school courses. He said a pivotal point for him was when he first began visiting the classroom and met a student who was struggling. Elijah said he bonded with the student and that his passion for early childhood ignited through watching the student flourish. He aspires to “help raise the next generation of great people.” He advises anyone going into the field to, “go into it for the right reasons and have your heart in the right place.”