Near the entrance of Jenkins Creek Elementary School, just a stone’s throw from Home Depot, Principal Cathy Lendosky told the assembled students a story.

While the site may be unusual, the setting provided context for the students, to whom Lendosky was teaching a “lesson in perseverance.”

A decade ago, Lendosky said, the school’s Parent Teacher Association “had a dream.”

“They dream of a new Jenkins Creek sign,” Lendosky said.

In 2000, everything was in place, but the city of Covington didn’t issue a permit to erect a new electronic reader board sign.

“In 2005, our dream came back to life,” the principal said. “Two years went by … perseverance.”

Eventually the PTA took bids for the sign then another year went by and in September 2008, the PTA changed, with its new officers adopting the slogan, “We’re Not Your Mother’s PTA.”

“These ladies were determined to get it done,” Lendosky said. “In September 2009, the city approved our plans. Funds were secured. The Kent School District was on board.”

In September, Fox Electric began excavation for the sign, and “on Dec. 12, our perseverance pays off.”

“On March 2, 2010, here we stand,” Lendosky said. “We have learned our lesson — perseverance pays off.”

The Jenkins Creek PTA raised tens of thousands of dollars to help pay for the sign through a number of creative methods including using the E-Script program where folks offer up their rewards card numbers for grocery stores like Safeway to generate cash when making purchases.

It was a significant milestone worthy of celebration for the staff and the PTA. They commemorated it with a photo of the entire school which will hang in the office at Jenkins Creek.

PTA President Amber Webster said, “We are here to celebrate all the volunteers who raised the funds” that made getting the sign possible.