Georgia Magazine - July 2023 - 16

Georgia's amazing kids
T
hroughout Georgia there are savvy entrepreneurs and dedicated
philanthropists who are working hard to make the world a better place,
and many of them are children and teenagers. In recognition of the Kids
Issue this month, Georgia Magazine is spotlighting six young people who
are showing what children can achieve through imagination, hard work and
concern for others.
Here are just a few of Georgia's many outstanding kids.
Tah'Chon Mills sings the national
anthem at a Mercer University
baseball game in Macon in April.
Raegan Lawrence, Bonaire
" World's Finest People " outreach for first
responders
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in
2020, it took a huge toll on then-11-year-old
Raegan Lawrence of Bonaire. She lost three
close relatives to the virus, including a greatgrandfather
to whom she had to say goodbye
over Zoom. The nurse with him had tears in
her eyes, and Lawrence told her father, Allen,
that she had to do something.
" People don't appreciate hospital workers
for what they do, " she says. " They were
putting themselves at risk for everyone else. "
At the time, Lawrence's band at Bonaire
Middle School was selling candy bars from the
World's Finest Chocolate company as a fundraiser.
The candy company's name inspired
Lawrence. She sold 1,400 bars, including more
than 400 to herself, using her allowance and
money saved from Christmas and birthday
gifts. Then she handed them to those she
called " The World's Finest People " at Houston
Healthcare in Warner Robins and a Houston
County fire station.
" That's just her heart, " Allen Lawrence
says.
Raegan Lawrence, who is busy this
summer with mission work with her church,
is also thinking about her next outreach
project-but " bigger this time. "
" I love doing little acts of kindness to give
Tah'Chon Mills, Warner Robins
Author, actor and model
Tah'Chon Mills was a prekindergartner when the pandemic struck. His mom,
Chon, re-created school-with a focus on reading-at their home in Warner Robins.
" There were a lot of words he didn't know, but he pretended to read, " she says.
" He told his own story every time, and he wanted me to write it down. "
That began the precocious Mills' foray into publishing. His first book, " I'm a
Superhero!, " debuted in 2020 when he was 4. In 26 pages, Mills as the main character
earns the superhero title by eating vegetables and making his bed-and encourages
other kids to do the same. He's since had Mom copy down 12 more book concepts.
But he hasn't stopped there. Now 7, Mills has become a TikTok star for his
dance routines. This year, he was featured in a fashion ad splayed across the
electronic billboard in Times Square in New York City. His IMDb.com page lists
appearances in the movie " Fantasy Football " (2022) and short film " Black Santa "
(2022), among others, and he's part of " Spilled Paint, " a show that will debut in
November on the Tubi streaming platform. But he always makes time for modeling.
" I like modeling best because I can show my personality on the runway, " he
says. " But I also love filming. It's easy to remember my lines. "
And he gets to meet a lot of new people. His favorite so far: Oprah Winfrey,
whom he met on the set of a musical version of " The Color Purple " now in
production.
" I sat on her lap, " he says. " That was great! "
-H.M. Cauley
16 Georgia Magazine July 2023
Raegan Lawrence spent her own money on
chocolate bars that she distributed to fi rst
responders to thank them for their work
during the pandemic.
people the inspiration to keep going, " she says.
" All I can do is give people the hope to know
that everything will be OK. "
-Rosalyn Dunn
CHON MILLS
ALLEN LAWRENCE
http://www.IMDb.com
Georgia Magazine - July 2023

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