What's On Your Mind???

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WE HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW AND MY TIME HAS ENDED.
I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME THOUGHTS AND MEMORIES.

May 1973, 35 years and 7months a go I graduated from Lincolnton High School. Little did I know where I was going? I knew many roads were ahead of me but which one would I travel. I had a course to travel but which one. Over my twelve years of education not only had I been taught by my teachers and raised by my parents but also by the many school employees that would cross one of my roads on my educational journey

Each and every road had so much to offer. Yes some of the roads were tough and love came with that toughness. .Reflecting back I remembered from eleventh grade I walked out of class. I was behind in class work and fed up with everything. I went over to the bus garage, walked in talked to Mr. Fred Thompson Director of Transportation. I told him I wanted a job cleaning and driving the buses since I was already a school bus driver plus he knew me. I thought I had an advantage. He ask me what I was doing out of school and I told him I was quitting. Boy was that a mistake! After some sturdy words and a long lecture he sent me on my way. I walked over to the school bus work bays. I thought I might get some help there. Again, I was wrong. There in the bus bay area were Mr. Fred Rhyne and Mr. Walt Dellinger, the bus mechanics. Mr. Thompson figured I was heading that way and apparently gave them a heads up. After more sturdy words and lecturing I got my tale back to the classroom. There Ms. Carrie Roseman sat down beside me. She was very upset with me and told me that there are times in life we all get behind but if we take our time, listen, and get all our facts we will get ahead and back on course, the right road.

You see each and every school employee I crossed paths with were hardworking, dedicated employees who served many years in the school system. Most of them have long been retired and some have passed away but have not been forgotten. They are still in our hearts.

Today we still have that same quality of people in our school system carrying on that same tradition of work ethics. They dedicate their lives to education because they love what they do and firmly believe what they are doing can, will, and make a difference in a child’s life. Little did I know I would be a part of that caring family? Although I never really left the schools altogether I always found time to visit and volunteer along the way.

In 2000 I told someone I was running for a seat on the BOE. To my surprise he looked me straight in the eyes and said “you will never make it, you are too honest. It’s going to be tough.” He was right. Well it has been one heck of a journey, long hours with no regrets and many fond memories.

When I first got on the BOE I met a new teacher who had just started teaching. I didn’t know her and she did not know me. She heard I drove buses for field trips and they needed a driver. She asked me if I could drive and I said sure. Over the next several days I learned that she had noticed other teachers seemed worried. She told that when she asked them what was the worry they said we have never had a board member to come into our classroom let alone drive a bus on a field trip. She said, “It is just Tony.” She was 100% right. I can only hope I never changed during my two terms as a BOE member.

A President once said, “People say you change when you get in office. I don’t think any body can look at the facts before them, forget the political rhetoric, and come to any conclusion. When you sit here and look at those facts and they are hard facts you can’t come up to any other conclusion.” Yes we had choices: 1) Do nothing, 2) Say yes because Administration said it, or 3) Do the right thing. I always chose # 3. I stood my ground and stayed on the right road never waving.

I always considered what impact my decision would have on the whole system and not just a small group. Before I could do what was right, I had to go out to the schools and attend various events. I did this so I could see and hear what was going on. Being out there was where the hard facts came from, not just because administration said so. I had to put things in perspective. I never broke the money down by party, rich or poor, or who paid the most or least. It was tax payers’ money. It was all the same.

Some have said there were rough roads and yes the roads did get rough and we had our differences. No matter what our differences were, and through it all, we always tried to do what was right for the most valuable asset, our children, our future.

Hopefully the road the children will decide to follow will lead them to being responsible contributing citizens and lifelong learners. I hope their choice will be guided by the education they receive. God watch over them forever.

In my finale words I want to say, it has been with the highest honor one could have been given, an opportunity in a lifetime that I was to be elected to be a voice for the present and future children of the Lincoln County Schools.

We've done our part. And as I go back to being just Tony I can say with no hesitation, it has been an honor to know that I had the pleasure of meeting and working with the greatest caring family of people there is in any system across America, the ones that for eight years did the work, kept our schools going, and educated our children.. My friends, we did make a difference. Not I nor the Board but WE DID IT. We DID IT. We weren't just marking time. We made a difference in Lincoln County Schools. We made the schools stronger. We made it what it is today. We left LCS in good shape.

May God Bless you all and God Bless America.

Sincerely,
Tony Jenkins

Publisher's note: Tony requested we include his e-mail address so the readers can contact him if so desired. The e-mail address is: pubedfls@bellsouth.net