Christen Jenkins

I can only attribute my success to the Lord. Honestly, I don't even fully understand how everything has come together the way it has, but I know it's because of my faith in God, believing in His Word, following it, and striving to live with integrity. I'm very young to have accomplished what I have. Becoming a senior program manager at the age of 30 is really unheard of, especially in the early childhood education sector, where people typically don't reach these roles until they're older, and once they get in these positions, they don't ever leave them. So I can only attribute that to the grace of God, because I'm still surprised. I tell my husband all the time, even with this nomination, how did this even come about? Because I'm still shocked. I don't actually know the things it is that I'm doing are big, if I'm being completely honest. This, for me, was a moment to be like, look, girl, you're doing something. But I don't look at them as big. I feel like I haven't even peaked yet. I feel like I haven't done anything. I'm just doing it because I like to do it. So honestly, I'm very shocked at this moment, and I think it's just a full circle moment for me, if I'm really being honest.

Get your degree, because in the early childhood field, if you're stepping into it, I hate to say this, because I really don't believe that anybody can't do anything with a degree or not. However, in this field, it is necessary. Unfortunately, it is necessary unless you are becoming an entrepreneur in this field, where you're going to open up your own daycare or anything like that. But if you're going to be working for someone else and wanting to grow in those aspects, you have to have your degree. A bachelor's degree at minimum. And that's what I tell everybody who asks me. I tell them that because there is no money in this, but if you're looking to grow in this, then this is the way that you start.

I'd say the biggest challenges are awareness and the need for quality inside of daycares, and also the parent involvement is the biggest challenge. The reason why is because the world demands that mom and dad both have to work, but as the children, they have such a disconnect. It's mainly because your parent's your first teacher, your parent's your first caregiver, and those bonds are not solidified, because after the baby is born, baby's 6 weeks, alright, I gotta go back to work, and now they're with a stranger. So our children aren't fully developed in a social-emotional aspect. And also, the parents are stretched because they only have one goal, you've got to pay these bills. So I would say more awareness in regards to what it does to the psyche of the emotional breakdown at this age is very important. I'm not saying that daycare isn't necessary, we need to get rid of daycare, because it is necessary. But we need to figure out a way that parents can be involved in it so that they can be with their children, so that they can develop appropriately. That's my biggest challenge.

I'd say the values that are most important to me are character, loyalty, and having integrity above all things. And I would say the most number one thing is to be a servant before I am looking at my position, to serve those it is that are asking for my help, and that I'm there as a servant. I'm not here to dictate or anything like that, because the rule of thumb is that the Lord says, anyone who wants to be great among you, they must be your servant first. And so that's how I look at it, that I'm called to serve above all things, and that my title, or what I'm doing, is the last thing in regards to serving. So that's the value that I live on when it comes to what I'm doing.