The Mighty Hawk Messenger: Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up? Where did you work prior to Lucas?
Dr. Jenkins: I grew up on the Westside of Chicago in Illinois. I come from a family of 12 siblings.
I attended Lane Technical High School. Afterwards, I applied at DePaul University in IL while working as a tuition counselor for approximately 15 years. My duties as a tuition counselor included creating and disbursing tuition bills, preparing itemized statements and helping families to understand charges, expenses and financial aid awards. During this period of time, I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Dual Masters’ Degrees in Teaching and Learning/Early Childhood and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership.
The Mighty Hawk Messenger: When you were a kid, did you imagine that you'd become a principal one day?
Dr. Jenkins: As a child, I knew I always wanted to have a positive impact on others. I worked hard to stay out of trouble and tried to do the right things. I did not imagine I would be a principal, but somehow, I had a sense that I would serve others.
The Mighty Hawk Messenger: Is there a teacher or other educational staff member from your past who made a difference in your life? What was it about him/her you found inspiring?
Dr. Jenkins: My mother was my first teacher who instilled the importance of altruism and empathy in me at an early age. She modeled high expectations and standards throughout my entire childhood and never accepted excuses.
The Mighty Hawk Messenger: This year's theme is "What are you doing for others?" How did you choose this? How do you envision it influencing our school year?
Dr. Jenkins: When you serve others, when you make someone's life better, when you model high expectations and standards...you become a light and you can show others a better way.
"What are you doing for others?" is a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As educators, we are public servants for Lucas scholars, families, and community members of the school district. This quote sends the message that we must make every effort to ensure that ALL students learn and grow. It is our obligation to fulfill this responsibility. It is also my personal philosophy that the best leaders are servants because they put the needs of others above their own, which is the greatest joy someone can experience. Ultimately, the quote sets the tone that we must have daily ethical conversations in order to hold one another accountable, which will help us to make the right decisions for our students.
The Mighty Hawk Messenger: If you could only read one author, listen to one musician, and eat one food for a whole year, which would you choose?
Dr. Jenkins: I would read Gwendolyn Brooks because her characters portray ordinary people who do extraordinary things. I would listen to Kirk Franklin because his music is inspirational and uplifting. I would choose to eat potatoes because they are versatile and I could prepare them in a variety of ways.
The Mighty Hawk Messenger: What is something interesting about you that people might not know?
Dr. Jenkins: Something I think is interesting is that I took piano lessons and would like to resume one day.
