Ben Hillyer/The Natchez Democrat — Head Start educator Shamika Earvin wasn’t trying to make a fashion statement with her custom-made hat fitted with a paintbrush Monday morning. The Indianola teacher was learning art techniques for toddlers at the Mississippi Head Start Association 2011 Teachers’ Conference at the Natchez Convention Center. The convention, which started Monday, continues through Wednesday.

Ben Hillyer/The Natchez Democrat — Head Start teachers Tiara Hodgens, April Huff and Gail Ruffin from Rankin, Pike and Madison counties respectively cut out the parts of a flower out of construction. The teachers were learning about using limited resources to teach science in the head start classroom.