Spencer student set for prom despite hardships

Some days, J’Kierreia Garrett’s family had to choose between electricity and running water.

But for the girl who grew up in a world of instability, getting good grades was never optional.

“I didn’t like living that way and felt I had to be successful,” said the Spencer High School senior, who is now the prospective valedictorian of her graduating class with a 3.9 GPA. “I’m just so determined and I don’t know where it comes from.”

On Saturday night, J’Kierreia will reap some of the rewards of her labor when she goes to prom with her date, Delon Jackson. Inspired by her grit and perseverance, several local companies have conspired to make it a night that she’ll never forget.

The H&R Block on Macon Road donated J’Kierreia’s crystal-studded ivory gown with a silver necklace, clutch and shrug to match. J.C. Penney sold the merchandise to H&R Block at a discounted price and donated a pair of silver shoes to go with the ensemble, said Sonja Giles, the Macon Road H&R Block office manager.

J’Kierreia’s good fortune didn’t end there. She also recently won a Spencer High drawing for a chauffeur and free limousine ride to the prom, sponsored by Willie C. Kimbrough’s Funeral Home.

Principal Johnny Freeman, whose mother owns the funeral home, said the gifts couldn’t have gone to a more deserving student. In addition to being an academic star, J’Kierreia is also an athlete, serving as captain of the girls’ volleyball and basketball teams the past two years. She also runs track and participated on the cheerleading team one year.

“J’Kierreia has what I would like to call the ‘it factor,’ ” he said. “She’s one of those kids that you know whatever she does, she’s going to give it her best. She’s going to constantly try to improve. She’s going to accept nothing less than excellence, and it doesn’t matter if it’s academically. It doesn’t matter if it’s volunteering or playing sports.”

One Wednesday, J’Kierreia sat in a dual-enrollment English literature class taught by Natasha David-Walker, an instructor from Columbus Technical College. In an interview with the Ledger-Enquirer, she talked about the hurdles that she faced while pursuing her education.

J’Kierreia said she grew up in public housing on the southside of town. She said her father was incarcerated for many years and her mother and grandmother cared for her and her brother as best they could. When her grandmother died of cancer about seven years ago, the family fell into deeper despair.

All the while, J’Kierreia focused on academics and caring for her younger brother, who is now a sophomore at Spencer. She also volunteers for the elderly and plans to major in nursing when she goes to college next year. She qualifies for both the HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships and plans to attend Valdosta State University. She hopes to one day become a nurse anesthetist.

David-Walker said she learned of J’Kierreia’s economic situation while reviewing one of her scholarship applications. She said it included an anecdote about J’Kierreia riding a bus for special-needs students just so she could continue attending the school of her choice.

“It’s just a testimony to her resilience and it reminds me so much of the spirit of the civil rights movement, where by any means necessary they were willing to accomplish their goals,” David-Walker said. “She’s not a very aggressive person, but there she is quietly working through her circumstances and rising to the top of the class.”

This story was originally published March 18, 2016 at 7:02 PM with the headline "Spencer student set for prom despite hardships."