Victory Train® Delivery Angels, front row: Janis Champion, Jamie Williams and Angel Armstrong. Back row: Dr. Olivet James-Robinson and Victory Train® Parent Coach, Tameika Miller.

The Victory Train® hosted its inaugural graduation in February, graduating 13 children from its Victory Tots program.  

According to Theresa Kemp, president of the organization, “This is a glorious day for Victory Train and our community, as we recognize and celebrate the hard work of our graduates and their parents.”

Victory Train is an early childhood education program that comes alongside parents beginning at the birth of their child and helps them prepare for kindergarten-readiness.  

“According to Greene County school records, all eligible Victory Train graduates scored on track and ready when they first started school. This is a monumental milestone for our program,” said Kemp, “to have 100% of our eligible graduates school ready.”

“By delivering educational packets to the homes of our families each week, we are providing the parents with the tools and skills they need to set their child on a successful pathway. Since studies show that kindergarten-readiness is a key predictor to a child’s future academic and economic success, and a first critical milestone on a child’s pathway to high school graduation,” Kemp said, “we are happy to see that all of our children succeeded at this first critical goal.”

“Our graduates will now be moving from our Victory Tots program to the next “Car” on the Train, our newly formed Victory Youth program,” states Kemp.   “Now that these students have succeeded at this first goal and started school prepared and ready, we will continue to work with the parents to help them keep their child on grade level all the way through grade school and high school.”  

Parent Coach, Tameika Miller, will continue working with these families and helping prepare and guide them through future critical milestones such as third and fifth grade math and reading, eighth grade graduation, the college and career academy, all the way until the child graduates high school with direction and purpose.

“Graduation was a day for celebration for our families,” said Kemp.  “Because of the coronavirus, the graduation ceremony was delayed for over two years. We couldn’t let the opportunity pass without recognizing the students and their parents,” said Kemp. “This was a key milestone for the parents as well, as they serve as the ‘Conductor’ on the Train, leading their child and setting a solid foundation for them to follow on their pathway to high school graduation.”

 

A special thank you to the staff and Delivery Angels, Tameika Miller, Janis Champion, Angel Armstrong, Jamie Williams and Dr. Olivet James-Robinson, who helped plan and organizate the graduation ceremony.  

Dr. James-Robinson delivered a beautiful invocation, Ms. Williams lead the children in the Pledge of Allegiance, Ms. Champion guided the children in singing, “We Are the World,” Ms. Armstrong helped the children thank their parents, and Ms. Miller oversaw the presentation of diplomas and the turning of the tassels.  The students wore royal blue caps and gowns and big smiles to celebrate the day.

Thanks also to flagship sponsor, Lakeside Church, for providing not only the beautiful venue for the ceremony but also meal boxes for our families. Lakeside has been a steadfast sponsor to the organization, as operations are run out of the church building, and the organization is grateful for their continuous generosity and support.

The Victory Train, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  To find out how you can join the Victory Train movement, visit www.victorytrain.org.