Special Edition
October 2018
Sidney Lanier High School’s
The Blue & White Mother at 14, LHS Teacher Beats Odds
Inside this issue: Can later school times give Lanier an academic boost?
2
Keeping It 100: Parents, where are your kids?
3
Passion, Purpose, Priorities: New teachers on the block
5
LHS as a charter school in 2020 under review
6
Dealing with depression
9
By Chyna S. Rowell
Most high school freshmen are thinking about seeing old friends and learning about what teachers to avoid. But at 14, Sharonda Phelps became pregnant with her first child. One would think it would be hard for teens bearing a child at a young age to make it to graduation, much less become successful in the future. Phelps at this time was like any other teen, questioning her future: How was she going to take care of her child? How was she going to make up school? “I didn’t have a job,” said Phelps, the chemistry teacher at Sidney Lanier High School and mother of DeAundre Phelps, a senior here.
Introducing ‘The Royal Tea’ featuring scribblers Cai’Che Coleman and Javonde Robinson. Read the point/counterpoint on School Spirit. See page 7.
Mark your calendars with significant dates to remember, page 6
Even though didn’t believe she would make it at first, she had people who care for her and helped her through this transition. People including her teachers, a social worker ,siblings, and her Young Phelps and foster mom kept her son, DeAundre moving forward. Her foster mom, though, had the most impact on her throughout her school years. “You can’t live your life and dreams around what other people think,” Phelps said. She took the criticism with a grain of salt. She was at an advantage because she was very intelligent. The people who backed her believed she would persevere because she always kept up her A-game.
Phelps Chyna Rowell/Staff
Plus, Phelps’ foster mom wouldn’t let her quit. “She gave me no choice but to be great,” the teacher recalled. “She wasn’t going to accept mediocrity.” When she finally graduated from Alabama State University with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology and a minor in mathematics, Phelps said she felt more excited for her children rather than herself. At that time, DeAundre was 10 and her daughter, Sydney, was 6. Ms. Phelps wanted to be able to show her kids that regardless of the situation to stay true to what you want to accomplish. “Because I’m a lot younger than most parents who have kids my age, this makes me more relatable to my children,” she said. “I can identify with a lot of stuff they are dealing with. Ultimately, it made me a better person.”