Shirley Wells of Axton and Carolyn Simmons of Critz have been named to new positions at STEP, Inc. (Solutions that Empower People). Wells, who has worked with the agency since 1997, has been named early childhood education director, and Simmons, who joined the STEP team in 2010, is now food services director.
Wells joined STEP as a Head Start teacher in 1997 at the agency’s Stuart location. In 2010, she became Early Head Start program manager for the Franklin and Patrick County programs. As early childhood education director, she will oversee and manage all Head Start and Early Head Start programming for STEP’s two main locations in Rocky Mount and Stuart.
She earned a bachelor of applied science in teaching from Averett University and a certificate in child care, an associate in early childhood education, and an associate degree in education from Patrick Henry Community College.
Simmons served as kitchen manager for STEP’s Stuart location after joining the agency in 2010. Prior to that, she worked in the Patrick County High School kitchen and cafeteria for 10 years. As food services director, she oversees and manages STEP’s two kitchens in Rocky Mount and Stuart.
The kitchens prepare daily meals for more than 200 children in the Head Start and Early Head Start programs, as well as the hot and frozen meals delivered through STEP’s Senior Services’ home-delivered meals program. She is a graduate of Patrick County High School and received a ServSafe food safety manager certificate in 2005.
STEP is the community action agency that serves Franklin and Patrick counties, along with some services in Bedford, Martinsville and Danville. Services include Early Head Start and Head Start; youth services (LIFES Academy and Project Discovery); senior services (Meals on Wheels, transportation); supportive services (re-entry, homelessness prevention); housing and weatherization; and financial services (tax preparation assistance, financial education, individual development accounts). STEP’s mission is to empower people to overcome barriers to economic, educational and developmental success within the communities it serves.
