“It gives them an opportunity to feel valued and loved and accepted by the entire community,” said Christopher Cabiness, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church.
MACON, Ga. (41NBC/WMGT) – Everyone wants their children to look and dress well, and a local elementary school and church have teamed up to take the next step.
Professional Attire Tuesdays: This tradition has been maintained by Matilda Hartley Elementary School for years, and in support of this tradition, New Hope Baptist Church hosted a ceremony where fifth-graders Karly Alston and Jonah McClinton received the first hair bow, beads and bow tie from Paula Adams of the Macon Chapter of the Links, Incorporated and Pastor Christopher Cabiness of New Hope Baptist Church. The remaining donated ties, bow ties, hair bows and beads will be distributed to students throughout the week.
Matilda Hartley Elementary School Principal Dr. Laquonta Williams-Smith also distributed certificates of appreciation to people in the community who helped with the event.
Paula Adams of the Macon Chapter of Links, Incorporated, who is also retired after 30 years of teaching, says it has been an honor to be able to return to Hartley Elementary and support the teachers and students.
Cabiness says the donation was made possible by various sponsors, community members and other organizations, and whenever there is a need, the church tries to meet that need to give the students a better future.
“Our goal is to help them understand the importance of self-esteem and it gives them the opportunity to understand the purpose of clothing. It’s not just about making an impression, it’s about giving them the opportunity to feel valued and loved and to feel that they are accepted by the community as a whole,” said Cabiness. “That is our only goal because we know that with these initial investments in the early stages of their lives, we are making a difference in their destiny.”
“We’re here to nurture those gifts, to nurture those talents that they have, so that we can continue to educate them,” Cabiness added. “As they grow older in life and become more mature, we want them to continue to embrace the values that we instilled in them when they were young.”
According to a press release from the Bibb County School District, the school hopes to use this tradition as part of its “Leader in Me” program to instill good habits and self-esteem among its students.
