Michelle Lank, director and owner of Kids’ World Learning Center, recently was invited by First Lady Sandra Deal to serve on Georgia’s Children’s Cabinet.

 The official letter from the Office of the First Lady states that the mission of Georgia’s Children’s Cabinet is “to support a sustainable and comprehensive system of education and care to better serve children and families in a more coordinated and efficient manner.”  

Lank was surprised and thrilled to receive the invitation.

“I had no clue it even existed or that this position was open,” she said.

Only one child care provider serves on the Cabinet that consists of the heads of all state agencies that work with child populations and of select community, philanthropic, education and business stakeholders.

Lank’s ownership of the day care center on Savannah Avenue began in October 2005 with the purchase of Kids’ World from its previous owner, Francis Bradley. But her experience with the center began long before that when her children were enrolled there.

Daughter Jasmyn, now 25, and son Jamel, now 23, both attended Kids’ World as youngsters and Lank watched them on the playground from her work window.

Lank worked right next door, at Herff Jones, for 17 years before purchasing Kids’ World.

“I learned all my business sense with that job, how to make an organization run professionally,” she said. “It was convenient to drop the kids off. And I could look out the window and see them play and grow.”

After purchasing the business, Lank returned to school for an Early Childhood Education degree.

Coming full-circle, Jasmyn and Jamel again attend Kids’ World daily – this time as Infant/Toddler Suite Administrator for Jasmyn and Day Care Center Chef for Jamel.

In fact, it’s truly a family affair at Kids’ World. Lank’s mother is the assistant Pre-K teacher in the Georgia Pre-K classroom, and Lank’s husband, Steven, whom she calls her “number one supporter,” serves as the center’s maintenance supervisor.

Lank’s accomplishments at the center over the years garnered her the recognition for the invitation. When asked why she thought she was chosen, Lank responded with a host of prerequisites.

“I believe I was selected because of my history of quality and being able to maintain a quality program, pursuit of family and child initiatives, our center's accreditations, my passion for childcare, and my working relationships with Bright From the Start and other organizations that have children's best interests at hand.

“You put in hard work and the results come, and people start to recognize what you do. Not that you do it for recognition, but, being the best for the right reasons. Sometimes that takes sixteen hours a day, weekends, collaboration of family and community groups and more.

“It’s so worthwhile when you see the growth of the children. It’s so worth it.”

Now, Lank will be able to contribute to the growth of children all across the state with her position. The Cabinet, as stated in the letter Lank received, works to align state and community programs, seeks to improve services to children and works in any areas of policy-making that relates to Georgia’s children and families.

As for Lank’s position on the Cabinet, she said she hopes to serve as an advocate for quality early childhood programs.

“I hope to bring a perspective from a rural-based, small, minority business leader when decisions are made in Atlanta that encompasses all of Georgia’s children. I see being able to take what I do for kids in Statesboro to a state level and incorporate needs of children outside of metro Atlanta, to bring their needs into focus. To discuss how laws and policies affect our most vulnerable students – whether that’s economic status, racial status or environmental status.”   

Lank knows that her position comes with hurdles to overcome.

“I believe the challenges for families, not just specific to Statesboro but in several pockets of Georgia, are the lack of programs that provide and sustain quality childcare and do so by providing diverse, inclusive and nurturing environments,” she said.  “Additionally, there are still children and families that experience hunger and poverty in our community.”

The new appointee also said she plans to learn. “I have learned so much in my 13 years here, and I hope to learn from the Cabinet that selects policies that govern families and children.”

First Lady Sandra Deal spoke of the learning curve of the group as well and said, “The Georgia Children’s Cabinet provides the opportunity for stakeholders to share their observations, goals and accomplishments with other child advocates. We learn from each other and strengthen our services by working together.”

Georgia’s Children’s Cabinet meets once a quarter in Atlanta though Lank hasn’t yet received the agenda for her new position. 

“I look forward to putting that on my calendar. It’s humbling, exciting. I’m sure at times it will be overwhelming, but I am ready for that challenge.”