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• Member of the National Thespian Society
• Recognized for Best Personality in the 1959 Crooms Year Book

• Named Crooms Academy Chorus Queen

Another significant occurrence was that on Student Government Day, I was chosen to sit in as the teacher for a 7 grade Social Studies
th
class. I was surprised, but I was literally amazed that Mrs. Daphne Humphrey had made the recommendation! This was life-changing

because I thought I would be the last person she would choose. Two days prior, so many students had been selected that I began to
feel embarrassed and lacking in self-worth. Mrs. Humphrey saved the day – I was the very last person selected as a stand-in teacher for

Student Government Day!

Mrs. Humphrey’s gesture truly had a tremendous impact on my self-image. I realized that it was God who gave me leadership ability

and His gift to shine with humility. I learned that I never have to feel defeated because Psalm 139:14 is true: I am fearfully and

wonderfully made. (KJV) The acclaim that I received from Student Government Day made me stop sucking my fingers cold turkey.
Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus. I stopped. Bam!

While in high school, I became a debutante in Orlando, Florida. My mom was a bona fide, certified queen in pushing me to be

successful. She was a fundraiser extraordinaire. I was in every imaginable fundraising event for children ages five to sixteen. I won most

of the fundraisers thanks to my grandmother selling chitterling dinners from our front porch. Also, my mom sold candy and candied
apples to the migrant workers she taught at night school. When I was 4 or 5 years old, I was the bride in a Tom Thumb wedding, and

Johnny Foster was the groom. At 8 years old, I sang my first solo in the Christmas play, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. It was
not a competition, but I got great exposure because my performance was for my elementary school’s Assembly Program. This led to

my first solo in church, “Away in a Manger,” for the church Christmas play. At age 13, I was a contestant in a Bolo Bat competition,

and I won third-place. The owner of a cleaners in Goldsboro brought my prize to our house. It was a pretty coral and white dress that
had a sailor collar. I loved that dress. What was so amazing and exciting to me was that it fit me just right, considering I was chubby. I