Lydia Meredith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lydia Mitcham Meredith
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| Personal details | |
| Born | May 3, 1952 |
| Occupation | American author and CEO |
Lydia Mitcham Meredith (born May 3, 1952) is an American author and a former leader of the Renaissance Learning Center (RLC) in Atlanta, Georgia. She is from Macon, Georgia. Lydia Meredith is also a community organizer, businesswoman, and civil rights activist. She used to run a center for young children in downtown Atlanta. She was even featured on a TV show for making her learning center a safer and better place using technology.
Lydia Meredith managed the daily activities of the Renaissance Learning Center (RLC) in Atlanta's 4th Ward community. Most of the students at the RLC came from families who needed extra support. A special program called Teen Talk helped over 2,000 teenagers learn important life skills. The RLC also helped over 3,000 young children get ready for kindergarten. It successfully helped 2,500 school-aged children move up to the next grade, and all of them went on to high school. Every day, about 500 children and adults were helped by the RLC. The center's services also helped 15,000 families improve their lives.
Former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes recognized Lydia Meredith for her important work in the community. The RLC received the Childhood Hero Award for helping the youth in the community.
Early Life and Education
Lydia Meredith is the fifth of thirteen children born to Wilbur Mitcham and Annie M. Mitcham. She is also the author of a novel called The Gay Preacher's Wife.
Breaking Barriers in School
Lydia Meredith was one of the first Black students to attend the all-white Lasseter High School in Macon, Georgia. She also made history by becoming the first cheerleader for Mark Smith High School, which was an all-white boys' school. Lydia graduated with honors from Lasseter High School.
College and Advanced Degrees
In 1970, Lydia Meredith was accepted into Vanderbilt University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in industrial engineering. She also became Vanderbilt University's first African American cheerleader in 1972.
Later, Lydia earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management. She also holds two more master's degrees: one in Christian education from the Morehouse School of Religion and another in public policy from Georgia State University's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.
