Since he was a boy, Deon Cooper knew something was missing. Adopted at birth and raised without any knowledge of his biological parents, he struggled with questions about his identity and where he truly belonged. That all began to change when he took a job as a janitor at his family’s childcare center. He saw the impact his family’s work had on young lives and knew he was meant to do more.

Orangeburg County First Steps hosted its ninth annual First Steps Day on October 23 at Hillcrest Recreational Park, bringing together nearly 100 children and families for a celebration of literacy, movement, and community.

Calhoun County First Steps hosted its third annual Roll and Read on Tuesday, October 21 as a celebration of literacy, movement, and community engagement for families with young children.  Nearly 250 children and families from across the county, including families participating in Parents As Teachers with Calhoun County First Steps, Early Head Start, a First Steps 4K classroom, and two elementary schools, participated in a one-mile walk and stroller/wagon roll.