Tinia Bailey has worked hard to graduate from Clarksdale High School on Saturday with a 3.7 GPA, but her learning struggles during the COVID pandemic almost led to a much different result.
Bailey was learning virtually for the entire 2020-21 school year, her English grade was a D and she was having difficulties in other subjects. She switched to the hybrid learning format in March and has earned an A in English ever since. She said she expects her final grade in English to be an A.
She plans to attend Coahoma Community College with a major in sports medicine. She said she may be a trainer after completing her education.
Bailey’s most recent GPA was a 3.5, but she said the strong finish should increase it to a 3.7.
“It was hard during the pandemic for me to learn,” Bailey said. “When I first started, I was doing packets and that was hard for me. I’m a visual learner so I have to see things for myself. It took me awhile understand and get stuff done, but I eventually went back into the school and did hybrid, which made it very easy and better for me as far as work is concerned. It was really hard at first, but it’s really helping me out now.”
Bailey said her academic struggles led to the decision to switch to the hybrid model where she could have in-person learning some days during the week.
“It was hard for me because I didn’t really understand the concept of what the work was saying,” Bailey said. “It was hard for me to understand because somebody has to teach me. I can’t just do it by myself. I just didn’t do that well. It just wasn’t right for me.”
As Bailey began to understand the concepts of things her instructors were teaching, her grades improved.
“Things started to change for me,” Bailey said. “When I got back to class, I learned way more than when I was out. I got way more help than when I was doing packets. Everything just turned for me.”
English teacher Tamara Billingsley along with teachers George Keller, Yvette McCullum, Farrington Hill, Kelaiah Stringer and Thankachan Chummar helped Bailey improve her grades after she began hybrid learning.
“The writing got better for me because they (teachers) showed me more ways that I can write,” Bailey said.
Bailey’s improved writing skills paid off in Stringer’s class.
“I had to write a portfolio for Ms. Stringer’s class,” Bailey said. “It was about the school year and improvements I had made. With her class, she taught me how to write a portfolio and that really improved my writing skills.”
The challenges Bailey faced throughout high school extend beyond academics.
At one time, Bailey was working two jobs at Wendy’s where has done a little bit of everything and at Taco Bell as a cashier. She currently holds one job at Wendy’s.
“I work at a restaurant,” Bailey said. “I was doing two jobs and school, but I’m just doing one.”
Bailey has not taken the COVID vaccine, but she has practiced social distancing, worn a mask and taken all other precautions at work to remain healthy and safe.
She said she is able to complete her school assignments when she is not at work.
“I just stay focused,” Bailey said.
Bailey’s schedule was also busy playing sports. She has been on the basketball, volleyball and track teams throughout her high school career.
“I really just wanted to try it out and see if I liked it and I did so I just went with it,” said Bailey of playing sports.
Bailey will begin her education at CCC this summer. Her goal is to go to Mississippi State University after CCC, but she has not made a final decision.
She said her struggles learning virtually in high school will benefit her if a similar situation arises at CCC.
“I’ll just have to prepare and weigh my options out,” Bailey said. “I’ll have to do online in the morning and just go to work afterwards.”
Bailey stressed the importance of staying focused on her work.
“Now that I learned it, I’ll know what to do,” she said. “If that happens at CCC, I’ll know how to handle that situation.”
Bailey, the daughter of Avaram King and Burnett Bailey, attended WA Higgins Middle School before CHS and said she enjoyed growing up in Clarksdale, but she hopes to move elsewhere after completing her education.
“After graduating college, I plan on going away, but I’m not sure where,” Bailey said.
Bailey has five older siblings, including her sister, Tatiana Bailey, who is a business major at Grambling State University.
“Just watching her and seeing all the things that she went through, that will really help me out,” Bailey said. “With me going to college, I could really just ask her for help or tips and things.”
Now, Bailey hopes to inspire others herself.
“I feel great about everything that I’ve accomplished and went through,” Bailey said. “It was a tough challenge, but I succeeded and made it through.
“It could inspire others because I know a lot of other people who went through the same thing I went through. I understand what they went through and they’ll understand what I went through.”
