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Parents of top grads have many theories of success By CHARLOTTE PERKINS "^W" l W s ”"*jnTat can par %/%/ encourage W w their children to do their best in school? Here are some ideas from a group of "experts" who rarely get public exposure the parents of Valedicto rians and salutatorians. What do Rick Coogle, Casey Spinks, Melissa Santos and Brandi Bazemore have in common besides being in the spot light this week as the top students in their graduat ing classes? Well, for starters, they all four loved books from the time they were toddlers. All four had parents who read to them from a very early age. They also all had par ents who rewarded them (usually with cash) for good report cards through their elementary school years. The 1999 valedictorians and salutatorians found they were sell motivated by the time they reached high school. In their homes, parents assumed from the begin ning that the children were college bound. Most of all, though, these honor gradu ates are children of parents who seem genuinely to like Bl* 3 jvr , . Kv4M - Bjur’ r ' ~ ** < b<aaM A ■ i ‘ '• ;^^§'‘' jj^.; »■ : ;fllf| 4» " gJ Bf f ' Hn&9> | *J||pf Ip j AMONG THE BEST Ken and Sally Bazemore are par ents of Brandi Bazemore, salutatorian at Westfield. niddle Georgia TECHNICAL INSTITUTE^ CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES OF THE CLASS OF 1999 Keep climbing the ladder of higher education! 80 Cohen Walker Drive • Warner Robins, GA 31088 912-988-6850 —^. Jim " 1 i—■ ">>. i jMuyw 1 \ - - ; Home Journal Photo* by Charlotte Perkin* REFLECTING ON CHILDREN Perry and Elaine Clayton discuss the success- High valedictorian and salutatorian par- es oj their children. ents Tony and Linda Santos and Steve and respect their children, and parents who aren’t taking the credit for their children’s achievements or talents. They just found their own ways of bringing out the best. “We lucked up. The Lord gave us all the materials." That’s how Tony Santos puts it. His daughter, Melissa Santos is the Perry High School 1999 Salutatorian. Santos, a native of Portugal who is a produc tion coordinator for Wilson Sporting Goods, said he thinks it’s important to “set limits and set examples.” “The idea of raising a child by being a friend won’t work," he said. Linda Santos added that Melissa got a boost as a very young child when she participated in a language institute program in Massachusetts. Melissa was three or four at the time. As a small child. Melissa Santos had plenty of expo sure to games, educational toys and books especial ly the “I Can Read” books. Dr. Seuss books, and the Little Golden Books. She also benefited, both parents agree, from the Perry Elementary School Gifted Programs. Casey Spinks, Valedictorian at Perry High, .jeceiyed ap introduction to. 4bo(d& and reading at a very: early age. “Her grandmother (the late Helen Cason) should get much of the credit,” Spinks’s t mom, Elaine Clayton, 'said. “She baby sat with Casey and she read to her and played games with her all the time." Spinks’s dad, Steve Clayton, added that once Casey was in school, “Homework came first" in their household. Spinks got “a dollar for To the Class of ‘99 We wish you the best as you climb the ladder of success! Perry High FI ToLLesniii LUMBER COMPANY. INC. 903 Jernigam Street Perry, GA each A" when she was in elementary school. Santos also receives a financial reward for good grades. “Maybe $20," her dad said, “just to tell her I’m proud of her." Brandi Bazemore’s moth er, Sally Bazemore, said their daughter, who was 1999 Salutatorian at Westfield Schools, has worked hard to achieve academic success. “A happy child from the day she was born," Brandi has grown up to be being exceptionally disciplined and organized. “She’s determined," Ken Bazemore said. “She’s a worker." A retired dentist with a wide range of interests. Dr. Bazemore has made a point, both with Brandi and her older brother, Britt, to encourage goal setting. He said he has provided finan cial rewards for good acad emic achievement. “We started goal sheets 3n their doors," very early. e explained. “I wanted them to set goals and put them in writing. Most peo ple don’t have any goals either short term or long term." Rick Coogle’s parents knew very early that he had good academic potential. Rick was reading at three. His mother, Jacky Coogle, stayed at home with him and his younger sister, Amanda, when they were little, giving them much attention, teaching them games and reading to them. “The best thing he’s got going for him is his curios ity," Coogle’s dad also named Rick explained. “He’s always had good con centration. He even taught himself to speed-read." As for discipline, the Coogles say they made a rule early that homework was first as soon as their children came home from school. They have also been firm about bedtimes and making sure their son and daughter did not go to school tired. The Coogles gave their children money rewards for good grades usually just a dollar for an A from the start. They found, as the other parents did also, that by high school their chil dren had motivation to make good grades whether there was a reward. Television watching has not posed a real problem for any of these parents. Their children are Just too busy to take much interest in television. All four do enjoy computers and make good use of them. Brandi Bazemore. who is considering public rela tions as a career, has had hers since ninth grade and taught herself to type fol ——rm 1 ■'». "* ,'.s"ww— 11 - 'J. ... Jk jjHHf . 'tSUm * * >. v : -v?. - a]MHeS <J|| ■ jfcsf BH9B ~cJ/ I |SS ® ' u PARENTS OF VALEDICTORIAN Jacky and Rick Coogle oj Byron are parents oj Westfield Valedictorian Rick Coogle. HATS OFF TO THE CLASS OF '99 ‘We zvish the very best to tfie graduates of (Perry Fhtigfi School and Westfield Schools! MiM's] ITALIAN I (garden cafe ) Wed., June 2, 1999, Htmr Journal - lowing a computer instruc tional program. Rick Coogle has devel oped his own web page and hopes to have a career as a computer engineer. Of the four, three have had part time jobs. Bazemore has worked for several years at Pearson. Farms; Spinks works in the Houston County District Attorney’s Office, and Santos works for the Perry Recreation Department. "It's important that they work," Tony Santos said. “That they taste life. It’s not just the money. It’s being there on time, taking responsibility." The Coogles have taken another approach, deciding they’d rather their son ana daughter not work, but keep their main focus on school. In all four cases, expec tations have been high, and the young people have met and surpassed their par ents’ goals for them. “I’m just overwhelmed by how proud I am," Spinks’s mom said. 'Not Just of her grades, but of who she is." “It’s a dream come true for a parent," JTony Santos added. "It makes your heart smile a lot." Page 3C