Founder/ Director

Leigh D. Hicks is not only the founder and director of Footsteps to success, she is currently a Deputy Sheriff and a Social Worker, established the Miss Willow Lane Pageant in February of 2007 to promote inner beauty and to strengthen the mind, body, and spirit of young women in the Willow Lane Program for Girls. Leigh then decided to start mentoring young women and young men in the community, as well as incarcerated, to help with self-esteem building, and strengthening of the mind, body, and spirit.
She received the Department of Juvenile Justice Champions for Children Award in February of 2008 and in March of 2009.
Her community and professional involvement includes serving on the South Carolina Women and Girls Task Force Committee, member of the Health Care Ministry at Trinity Baptist Church, which focuses on HIV/AIDS in the community, and is a certified SIHLE facilitator through the South Carolina HIV/AIDS Council.
She is proud to have achieved athletic distinction on the national ranked 4x100 meter relay at Benedict College in 2000. She is a former attendant to Miss Benedict College, a former contestant of the Miss South Carolina USA Pageant, and the Miss South Carolina Teen USA Pageant. She was Miss Young Alumni Benedict College 2009-2010 and 2nd runner-up to Miss Benedict College National Alumni Association 2009-2010. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, which promotes public service.
Leigh is currently in the final stages of her dissertation for a Ph.D.  from Walden University in Human Services, specializing in Clinical Social Work.

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