"Parents as Teachers"

Lamar County School District

Certified Parent Educators

Becky Hurston, Certified Parent Educator & Coordinator

Becky is the Coordinator of the Parents as Teachers program. Becky received her B.A.E. from The University of Mississippi. She has twenty-five years experience working with preschoolers and their families. After serving as both a preschool director and preschool teacher, Becky saw the need for a family education and support program to assist families with young ones during the first few years. Becky began working with Lamar County School District as a certified parent educator in 2004. Parents as Teachers has allowed Becky the opportunity to serve the families in our district as she fulfills her passion to assist in their roles as the designer, consultant and authority figure for their children. Becky is married, she and her husband are the parents of four children, all of whom have been educated through the Lamar County Schools.  

Alicia Clark, Certified Parent Educator

Alicia was certified as a parent educator in 2006 after serving as a preschool teacher for 17 years. She received her B. A. in Speech and Language Pathology from Mississippi College. Her extensive work with preschoolers and their families made the transition to parent educator a perfect fit. She has a heart for not only working with parents, but she is particularly interested in assisting teen moms as they face the many challenges of everyday life as a parent and a teenager. Alicia is married and she has three children.

Jasmine Wiggins, Certified Parent Educator

Jasmine graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science degree in Child and Family Studies, with an emphasis in Child Life. She continued her education and training at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, in Atlanta, GA, as a Child Life Intern. Upon completion, she moved back to Hattiesburg, MS to continue her work in numerous capacities teaching young children and supporting their families. Jasmine completed the requirements and became a certified Parent Educator in 2007. Jasmine and her husband have one son and reside in Hattiesburg, MS.

April Burnside, Administrative Assistant

April Burnside is the Administrative Assistant of the Parents as Teachers program. She attended Delta State University in Cleveland, MS and has a passion for working with children and families. April has a desire to be involved in working with families to help make a difference in their lives. April and her husband Chip have lived in Hattiesburg for approximately 5 years.