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The Jenkins County Times
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John Paul Hearn, Superintendant
Jenkins County School System
I love watching sports. Really, I think
it’s that I love watching people compete.
I don’t have a lot of “favorite” teams. It's
pretty much the Georgia Bulldogs. I grew
up loving them and I reckon I always will.
And I cannot wait until the first Saturday
in September to be back between the
hedges in Sanford Stadium cheering on the
two-time defending National Champions.
But outside of UGA and Jenkins County
Athletics, I am just a fan of great athletes
competing, and I will watch just about
anything. I can remember when I was in
high school and in the years after I graduated
there was a basketball player who went by
the nickname MJ. He is known by most as
the GOAT. He is Michael Jordan.
I remember watching the court go dark.
The song Sirius by the Alan Parsons Project
began blaring and spotlights began lighting
up the court. And then the introduction of
some of the greatest basketball players
ever. Pippen (the only player to be on
all six of the championship teams with
MJ), Rodman, Grant, Kukoc, and Kerr to
name a few. It was a spectacle. I am not
even an NBA fan, but I am a huge fan of
fierce competitors and of those individuals
who have an insatiable appetite to be great.
Those competitors are relentless.
Last week I talked about Grit. Grit
is that personal attribute where one has
unyielding courage in the face of hardship.
This week we are going to discuss another
word, RELENTLESS. It is defined as
oppressively constant. If you have been
outside much over the last few weeks, the
heat has been relentless. Tim Grover is
an elite trainer in both the physical and
mental realm. He has trained many famous
athletes, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan
are a couple of them. In his book he talks
about the relentless nature of the players
he trained. He said Michael Jordan spent
countless hours alone in a gym practicing
the game winning shots. He practiced them
so much that they were instinct to him. He
didn’t have to think. You could just get him
the ball and he would make the shot.
Jordan once said this, “I’ve missed
more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve
lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve
been trusted to take the game winning
shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over
and over again in my life. And that is
why I succeed.” You see, Michael Jordan
was relentless. He 3-peated as a world
champion with the Chicago Bulls twice.
Six total championships. He didn’t give up
when times got rough. He didn’t give up in
the face of failure. He was relentless and he
pressed forward.
GREAT. That is where we are headed. I
have been sharing about how Jim Collins’
writing has influenced my vision for where
we are headed in the Jenkins County School
System. Jim Collins has written several
books supporting the theme of Good To
Great. In his book Built To Last, Collins
says an organization must have a set of
core values and a purpose that remains
constant over time, but it must also have
a relentless drive for progress. As a school
system we must have that inner relentless
drive to see our students succeed. Not just
some of our students, ALL of our students.
And we must instill that same relentless
drive in our students. They CAN DO IT.
I'll leave you with an example of what
relentless drive to succeed looks like in
a classroom. Students take the Georgia
Milestones Assessment System (GMAS)
test each year along with several other
subjects and grade levels in Georgia. Only
10 schools in the state of Georgia scored
higher than our 8th grade science students
this past spring. Not districts, schools. Our
8th grade science students were 11th in the
state out of all schools in Georgia.
So, last week I did this thing. I decided to join the gym and get a trainer. Now, I must
admit, I have never had a trainer in my life, unless the PE coach counts in school. I didn’t
really know what to expect, it wasn’t what I got however!
So, when I meet Cody for the first time, I see this young twenty something well fit
young man. I’m thinking, “ok, if I could only look like that!” So, after he asked me what I
expected from a trainer, “to be as buff as you I did in fact reply,” he asked if I had any health
problems, he should be aware of.
Y’all, the look on his face when I told him that I had heart problems was priceless. I could
tell he was thinking, “have mercy, what have I gotten into?” But, not to be daunted, he pulls
a chair to the middle of the floor and shows me how to do squats. Now, did I mention that I
chose my gym time when no one else would be there? I can’t take too much embarrassment.
And y’all know how them gym freaks look at the rest of us.
So, I do squats. That wasn’t so bad. Then Cody moves me to a rubberband thing. I kid
you not, it looked like a huge rubberband that he wanted me to stretch over and over. Now,
this wasn’t hard until he had me move my hands closer together. Oh my heavens, y’all, that
thing bout killed me!
So, have I mentioned we had thirty minutes together? Y’all that was the longest thirty
minutes of my life! In addition to squats and rubberbands, he had me do weights. After
every exercise Cody would ask, “you, okay? You don’t feel like you’re gonna die, do
you?” Uhyes sir, Mr. Fitness man, I died fifteen minutes ago!” Have you ever heard people
grunting in the gym during workouts? Well, I was granting, crying, calling my Mama, you
name it!
When Cody said, “Ok, we’ll see each other next week.” I almost wept with joy. But y’all,
it wasn’t until I crawled into bed that night that the real tears began. Help me Sweet Jesus!
Y’all my legs hurt so bad I couldn’t stand it. I mean they hurt when I straightened them
when I lifted them. And everything in between. I sent Cody a text that read, “I’m calling
George Sink, I know you assaulted me.”
What’s that old saying, no pain, no gain? What will be in store for me Tuesday? That’s
all for now, take care!
By Joe Brady, Editor
for
The Times
Connections Church of Millen to
CHECK OUT OUR
for their parents to send their children
to.” Connections Church is also
starting a career/college-aged group
similar to Connect Students. The ages
in this group will range from 18-24.
The church serves people from
Jenkins, Emanuel, Screven, and
surrounding counties. You can find
the Connections Church on Facebook,
online, and on Instagram. Their
Sunday Gathering is at 11 a.m. so
come and check them out if you,
your family, or someone you know is
looking for a church home.
Daily Specials
ON
Facebook
(478)982-2390
537 East Winthrope Ave.
Millen, Georgia 30442
build new home
By Tyler Busch,
Podcast Director & Reporter
far
The Times
Connections Church of Millen was
started in 2015 by local pastor, Jeremy
Lindsey. He has been in Millen his
entire life. Pastor Jeremy states, “God
began to stir in my heart back in
2015, as I was a traveling evangelist
in the area, and stirred in me to
plant a church to reach the younger
generation that seemed to not be in
churches around here.” He continues
saying, “we started with a small group
in my house in 2015, and then in 2016
we began having night services in
the old elementary school cafeteria.”
Today, Connections Church has its
service inside the Jenkins County
High/Middle cafeteria.
The church is currently building
its own sanctuary. Jeremy says, “the
new church will be located off of
highway 17 going out of town past
the recreation department” It will
sit on property the church bought in
2019. He also stated, “if this is what
God wants us to have we will raise the
money in 60 days and in those 60 days
the amount raised was double that.”
Construction was supposed to start
in 2020, but was delayed due to the
pandemic. The site is currently being
cleared and leveled in preparation for
the new Connections Church. The
construction of the new church is
being funded fully by donations.
Jeremy states “we looked at several
places on Front Street but that it was
going to cost a lot to get them up to
code, property/land in Millen, but
we knew that God wanted us to be
centrally located in town.” He also
stated “at one time we had more
people from outside Millen attending
church than from Millen/Jenkins
County.” The project’s name is called
“here to stay.” The meaning behind
it as Pastor Patrick Irvan states, “We
want everyone to know we’re not
just a noble church, bouncing around
and can leave at any moment.” He
continues saying, “We are here to
stay in Jenkins County/
Millen and know that
people have a home
to come and learn
about Jesus.” The new
building will sit on 14
acres, half in Millen
city limits, and the
other half in the county.
There are several
events/gatherings
throughout the week
Connections Church
has including Connect
Groups as well as Men and Women
ministries. They also have active
kids and youth ministries. Their
Connect Kids ministry is led by
Lindsey Doolittle and their youth
program (Connection Students) is
led by family pastor Patrick Irvan.
Connection Students serves students
between grades 6-12.
Patrick describes his job saying,
“My job is to take care of that age
group (and whatever He tells me to
do) and that the youth are the future
of our church.”
He also states,
“Our success is
measured by
the youth.” The
program brings
in volunteers/
speakers to
talk with the
students on their
level as well as
having small
groups. Patrick
says, “We talk
about the issues
they're dealing
with in middle/
high school and
navigating these
things in a godly
way, but also to
play games and
be a safe place
REALTOR®
Jessica Herrmann
C: 912-536-6149
O: 912-489-0067
jessica@greatgarealty.com
986 GRIMM AVENUE, MILLEN, GA
.Jenkins County Times
Proudly covering Jenkins County’s news, sports, and community events
Sam Eades Publisher
Joe Brady Editor
Sam Eades Advertising Sales
Debbie Heam Admin/Layout and Design Executive
Sarah Saxon Admin/Legals/Reporter/AP Correspondent
Brad Asbury Sports Editor
Jake Gay Reporter
Tyler Busch Podcast Director/Reporter
THE JENKINS COUNTY TIMES
issue 25 August 2023 is published weekly by on Wednesday
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