LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Ms. Jenkins is an Atlanta native and a DeKalb County School System graduate. Since 2016, she has worked tirelessly with at-risk students identified by the school district as disengaged and in threat of not graduating. In this job, she collaborates with parents, teachers, and stakeholders to meet the needs of my caseload students and, in some cases, their families.

As we all know, when students have issues with their grades, behavior, and/or attendance, there are usually issues outside the school building that also impact them. Ms. Jenkins works with these students and their families to combat these issues and ultimately graduate from high school. She also knows that when asking for help, people want to receive it in a way that doesn't belittle or demean them. Some of her caseload students face food insecurity, need school supplies, and, most of all, need a nonjudgmental shoulder to lean on. She is there daily and feels rewarded when her students are successful.

Last year, Ms. Jenkins worked with a young lady who had become dear to her. The student had lost her mother and lived with her father, who struggled with mental health issues. There were times when she didn't have hot water or food during her senior year. Ms. Jenkins spoke to her daily and encouraged her to plan her life after high school to have a better life. She needed money to apply for college, and Ms. Jenkins helped her pay for her application. When she needed food, she would prepare food bags for her. The student graduated and decided to work a year before school but has also learned valuable things about herself. She advocates for herself, is driven, and has a plan for her future. It's students like her that keep Ms. Jenkins returning.

Ms. Jenkins is valuable and significantly impacts the families of Miller Grove High School. She teaches her students to advocate for themselves and stand in their light—this time, she wants to lead by example.