Head Start banquet celebrates early community support
Published 6:00 pm Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Photo by David Lovell | Chequita Surles Johnson (right) receives second place, presented by Head Start Director Angela J. Calhoun (left), for Most Participation as a parent in the Jackson-Steele Elementary pre-K Classroom 2.
Photo by David Lovell | Carmen O’Donnell is awarded the L.D. Flowers Memorial Award presented by Head Start Director Angela J. Calhoun (left).
Photo by David Lovell | Linda “Sonshine” Moorer delivers the keynote address at the 52nd Annual Head Start Appreciation Banquet.
Photo by David Lovell | Lowndes County Coroner Terrell Means (right) accepts the Community Partner of the Year award, presented by Head Start Director Angela J. Calhoun (left), on behalf of Sheriff Chris West.
Photo by David Lovell | Davey Lyon (right), pastor and church planter at Imago Dei Church at the 4Five, accepts the honor of Community Partner of the Year, presented by Head Start Director Angela J. Calhoun (left), on behalf of his congregation.
Photo by David Lovell | Teresa Lawson (right), news reporter at CBS affiliate WAKA, receives recognition as a Community Partner of the Year, presented by Head Start Director Angela J. Calhoun (left).
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Partners, parents honored for 52nd year
Lowndes County Board of Education Head Start held its 52nd annual Appreciation Banquet Thursday, May 1, presenting a patriotic-themed ceremony to honor parents, grandparents, leaders and community partners who support the organization’s efforts toward ensuring early childhood education for the area’s littlest learners.
The event’s theme, “United We Stand” featured red, white and blue attire and decorations to emphasize the solidarity with which community members support the preschool education program. Guest speaker Linda “Sonshine” Moorer, herself a product of Lowndes County Head Start and now a successful radio personality for Magic 106.1 in Pensacola, Florida, described the importance of community involvement in supporting Head Start.
“We as a community must keep [this point] first and foremost: the point is education for our youth,” Moorer said.
Moorer urged guests to support the program which helped to make so many children into successful learners. She encouraged audience members to stand firmly against efforts to defund early childhood education programs.
“There is a charge out there trying to take away all the funding for Head Start,” she said. “We’ve gotta make sure that our kids start to learn from an early age, the most formative years that they have.”
Awards were presented to classroom supporters — from family members to volunteers and partners. Those recognized for Most Participation were:
- Central Head Start: First place, Tenenase Lawrence; second place, Latoya Green and third place, Renatta Hale Clark;
- Fort Deposit Head Start: First Place, La’Daja Davison; second place, Vontae Thigpen and third place, Valenciya Allen; and
- Jackson-Steele Head Start: First place, Adriana Peoples; second place, Chequita Surles Johnson; third place, Mautree Burke Clark.
Terranoice Bennet at Central Classroom 4 received the Parent of the Year award. Others honored for supporting Head Start classrooms were:
- Grandparent of the Year: Patricia Bennett Williams, Central Classroom 2; Minnie Tolliver, Fort Deposit Classroom Pre-K and Yolanda Peoples, Jackson-Steele Classroom 1;
- Father of the Year: Will Clark, Jr., Central Classroom 2; Travis Mendenhall, Sr., Classroom 3 and Kendell Bell, Sr., Classroom 1;
- Volunteer of the Year: Retired educator Evelyn Lambert; and
- Community Partners of the Year: Lowndes County Sheriff Chris West, The Lowndes Signal Regional Editor Lanell Downs Smith, Imago Dei Church at the 4Five pastor Davey Lyon, WSFA Chief Meteorologist Josh Johnson, WAKA news reporter Teresa Lawson and Renae’s Vision.
Head Start Director Angela J. Calhoun closed the banquet by honoring previous program directors who included: Laverne O’Rear (1966-67), William “Sam” Bradley (1967-82), Arthur Nelson (1982-2008) and Samita Jeter (2008-23).
Calhoun thanked those in attendance, expressing her appreciation for their support.
“Your presence and continued support are deeply valued for the success of our program,” she said. “Now, more than ever, we are truly grateful for your partnership and for the sustained legacy and dedication of our leaders.”
