Newspaper Page Text
Page 2A — Wednesday, August 31,2016, The True Citizen
The children joined in to get one last photo with “The Children’s Queen.”
Mrs. Georgia International makes
special visit to Head Start children
By Michaela Carter
Mcarter.truecitizen@gmail.com
Millen native. Jacqueline
Boatwright-Daus who was re
cently crowned Mrs. Georgia
International 2016 shared an
afternoon of reading during her
visit to Burke County Head Start
last Wednesday.
Boatwright-Daus was invited
by Director Syreeta Green, to
engage with the students and
give them the chance to have
some fun with the “The Chil
dren’s Queen.”
Child daycare safety, an issue
close to Boatwright-Daus' heart,
is her pageant platform.
She chose this platform in
honor of her 14-month-old son
Anthony Dejuan who died be
cause of injuries sustained at a
Georgia licensed daycare center rently before the U.S. Senate.
in 2001.
Since then, she has worked
with several legislators to pass
two state laws and one federal
law on child safety that are cur-
Boatwright-Daus will con
tinue her mission as she visits
the Pentagon to discuss the state
of childcare in America.
Boatwright-
Daus wrapped
up her visit by
allowing the
children to ask
her questions.
Waynesboro mourns
continued from front page
and industrial development.
But the retired educator’s soft
spot always remained with the
city’s youth.
As she put her final affairs in
order this month, Mayor Jen
kins made clear her hopes for
Waynesboro and the children
who live here.
“The Boys and Girls Club
and the Splash Pad ... she told
me those needed to be done,”
Coalson said. “Even at the very
end, she was serious about
getting these two projects ac
complished.”
With Mayor Jenkins’ munici
pal duties spanning more than
two decades, many government
employees and community lead
ers remember how her encour
agement affected them early in
their careers.
That is especially true for
Waynesboro’s Community De
velopment Director Trinetta
Skinner, who got to know Jen
kins back in 1998 when she was
first hired as a general clerk for
the city.
Skinner recalled how Jenkins,
then the vice-mayor, quickly
became a mentor and mother-
figure who was forever sharing
her "nuggets of wisdom.”
As a young black woman
just starting out, Skinner often
turned to Jenkins when times
were difficult.
“She would tell me. ‘some
times we have to work twice as
hard ... but don’t give up be
cause it will make us stronger,”’
Skinner said, remembering how
Jenkins was a driving force be
hind her decision to apply for
her current position. "She would
remind us that the better leaders
we became, the better the City
of Waynesboro would be.”
Another Jenkins’ mantra was
to always be fair and kind.
“She told me ‘no one should
take our kindness for weakness’
and implored me to believe that
‘we are far from weak... we are
indeed strong women',” Skinner
said. "She said. 'We choose to
be kind because God has truly
blessed us ... so we will let his
light shine through us'."
Mayor Pauline Jenkins hugs a supporter on election night Dec.
6, 2011 when she learned she would become Waynesboro’s
first female and first African American mayor. After finding a
quiet corner to call her 81-year-old mother, she talked to The
True Citizen about what it meant to her. “Becoming Waynesboro’s
first female mayor of any race, black or white, is an honor in
itself. I feel proud,” she said, wiping away tears. “I want to do
a good job and do the will of the people ... that’s my priority.”
At right, Mayor Jenkins
poses with children from
Wimberly House Ministries
during the annual “Party
Downtown with the Mayor”
celebration. Youth involve
ment was high on the re
tired educator’s agenda.
The motto she included in
her bio, was, “If I can help
somebody as I pass along,
then my living shall not be
in vain.”
FUNERAL SERVICES
11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 3
Burke County High School
See full obituary, page 5A
Georgia named one of the worst
states for underprivileged children
By: Michaela Carter
mcarter.truecitizen@gmail.com
Wallet Hub recently released
their list of 2016’s Best and
Worst States for Underprivi
leged Children and unfortu
nately, Georgia ranked number
47 out of 50 states and the
District of Colombia. New
Hampshire ranked number one
as the best state for underprivi
leged children, with the District
of Colombia ranking the worst.
This study was completed by
examining three key factors: 1)
early foundations and economic
well-being; 2) children’s health
and 3) children’s education.
Georgia ranked number 39 in
the early foundations and eco
nomic well-being dimension;
number 45 in the children’s
health dimension and number
46 in the children’s education
rank.
According to the study, Geor
gia is the second worst state
when it comes to the number of
teens not attending school and
not working.
Where does Burke County
stand?
The United States Census
Bureau found that 31.1 percent
of Burke County’s population
lives in poverty. It was also
calculated that 77.2 percent of
Burke’s population has complet
ed high school or higher (age 25
years+). While these statistics
are favorable compared to other
rural Georgia counties, they
still suggest a high number of
children in our community not
receiving adequate resources.
Overall Score for 2016 Rest & Worst Suites for
Underprivileged Children Klliikin^s
Neu
I lampshire
#1
Tuesday, Sept, 13,2016
Tickets: $15-Adult pat Door)
$5 Students (17 S under)
Barite County Library,
First National Bank or
Call Don Lively
706-554-0018
or Concert Board
706-437-0070