Head Start ‘White Coat Ceremony’: What dreams are made of

By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald

Dr. Russell Ledet, MBA, a triple board resident at Indiana University in pediatrics/psychology and child psychiatry, looked out on a group of 3- to 5-year-olds attending Catholic Charities Head Start summer program at Incarnate Word on June 21.

“Never stop dreaming,” he told them. “It’s OK to be scared, and you have to be willing to be successful in life.”

The African-American physician joined other health care professionals who talked to students participating in the state’s pilot “Short White Coat” ceremony at Incarnate Word to inspire them to consider a health career and be “future health care heroes.”

As part of their yearly curriculum, Head Start students learn how community helpers – such as doctors, nurses, EMTs, ambulance drivers, dental hygienists and veterinarians – help others. They also learn healthy eating habits and how to take care of themselves.
In April, staff from Healthy Louisiana and Southeast Louisiana Area Health Education Center (SELAHEC) Foundation, who partnered with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), reached out to Head Start by creating a program that encourages the development of future health care heroes, said Naomi Suematsu, MPH Health and Nutrition Coordinator for Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans’ Head Start program.

“For 30 years, we’ve been talking to young people about taking care of their health,” said Brian Jakes Sr., president of SELAHEC, that partnered with Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) to create the health care profession awareness initiative to “address significant health disparities among minority and underserved populations in Louisiana.”

“We’re looking for health heroes,” he said. “We don’t have enough doctors or nurses.”

Jakes told the youngsters that the path to being a health care hero starts with them brushing their teeth, getting enough sleep and resisting doing risky things like running in the street. He said they could be heroes right now by being examples to their siblings.


Proud moment
Each student walked in the Short White Coat ceremony carrying a picture they had colored of a health care professional and saw words of encouragement on a banner that stated, “If you can imagine it, you can dream it. Dream it, and you can become it.”

“This is the future health care hero class,” said Demetra Dantzler, HEC liaison coordinator.

Dr. Shantell Hebert-Magee, Region I medical director for LDH’s Office of Public Health, was another relatable doctor present at the ceremony. She described the significance of the doctor’s white coat – similar to a hero’s cape – and put one on to show the youngsters. She told a story relayed by her grandfather about “An Ant and a Termite.” Even though they were small and considered not able to help anyone, the insects proved dissenters wrong and saved other animals after a disaster.


“No matter how small you are or insignificant you are, you can help. You can move mountains and face any obstacle,” Dr. Hebert-Magee said. “We need people like you. You are significant and can make a change.”


She had them recite, “Even though I’m small, my dreams are tall. I can be a health hero.”

Dr. Ledet reinforced those dreams by sharing his life story through a cartoon character he created named Dante –  a young Black boy, who, like himself, grew up in the 9th Ward and always carried a book to read. Dante changes the world, he said. Dr. Ledet said he was scared when he created the cartoon because doctors aren’t thought to create cartoons. But, after reviewing his life’s journey as a security guard at a hospital before he became a doctor, he told the students to not let anyone else “tell you you can’t do something,” no matter how many times they tell you. “Don’t let ‘their’ no be ‘your’ no.”

At the conclusion of the ceremony, each student was called by name and donned a mini white coat. It was theirs to keep along with a book.
Registration is currently underway at the five Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans Head Start and Early Head Start locations. Head Start programs promote the “social, physical and intellectual development” of children ages six weeks to 5 years old whose families are at or below the federal poverty line. For details, call or visit https://www.ccano.org/head-start-program/ or contact Incarnate Word Head Start location director Gaynell Anderson at [email protected].

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