Jackson Free Press

As the local mailman could attest, Lorenda Cheeks has taught kids since she was a little girl herself, setting up school in the front lawn with her neighborhood friends.

Cheeks, 39, grew up in north Jackson and attended Lanier High School and Tougaloo College. After receiving her bachelor's degree in elementary education, she obtained a master's specialist degree from Mississippi College in school administration supervision and is now writing her doctoral dissertation in education leadership for Delta State University. Cheeks still lives in north Jackson, but being a student is only one segment of her life.

After spending five years as an elementary school teacher, Cheeks is now the principal of Oak Forest Elementary School. She was inspired to pursue educational administration by her former boss, Gerilynn Thomas of New Hope Christian School in Jackson.

"I would love to change the image of how (educators) are perceived by the community. There are some great things going on in Jackson Public Schools," Cheeks says.

As a demonstration of those great things, Oak Forest Elementary teachers and administrators have been accumulating grants nationally and locally. Last April, the state Department of Health, in conjunction with Leadership Greater Jackson, awarded Oak Forest $3,750 to build a soccer program. The school is integrating a community-based healthy lifestyle program including a multipurpose field and community garden.

The Junior League of Jackson also awarded six Oak Forest teachers, the most of any school, grant money amounting to $17,000 to promote literacy and technology.

Cheeks is also heavily involved in her community. Starting out as a Girl Scout Brownie herself, Cheeks now leads five Scout troops. They have recently achieved recognition on a national scale, particularly through their project "It's Hip to Be Fit." Last year, Cheeks and her Scouts traveled to Atlanta where Cheeks won the 1st Grand Champion Award from the General Mills "Feeding Dreams" program. Communities vote for the winners, making it especially meaningful.

In her free time, Cheeks is active in her church at Mount Nebo Baptist Church in west Jackson, decorating cakes (butter cream and pound cakes, especially), playing tennis, traveling and catching up on sleep.

"I try to live by example. I want to teach the children who come to Oak Forest how to be a good citizen, how to give back to your community," Cheeks says. "It's going to take a cycle of me teaching a child who picks up that lesson to teach their children." Cheeks urges parents and community members to contact principals and request to teach a craft, tutor children or get involved in any way.