3 months ago
It's a welcome announcement for some Warner Robins residents: Georgia's International City is now nationally.
According to BusinessWeek.com, Warner Robins ranks third as one of the best cities in the nation to raise children.
Safety, along with school test scores, air quality, and affordability, were considered in the calculations. BusinessWeek also looked at job growth, diversity, and amenities such as museums, parks, and theaters.
Ed Rodriguez with the Warner Robins Area Chamber of Commerce says it's no surprise.
"All of our educational institutions are on a roll," says Rodriguez. "Whether it's a new high school coming on board with Houston County Public Schools or all the different degree programs that are being expanded."
Houston County Schools have been recently recognized for excelling, says Beth McLaughlin with the school district.
"We've had twenty-two of our thirty-seven schools recognized as Title I Distinguised Schools," says McLaughlin. "Bonaire Elementary was named a Georgia School of Excellence for academic achievement. We've also had two schools win Georgia School Bell awards."
Kemberlie Sanderson with the Rainbow House in Warner Robins says she agrees with the survey overall.
"Both in the school system here and in parenting here," says Sanderson. "We are setting high expectations for our children. And they are achieving."
Sanderson says she's found Warner Robins to be exceptional when it comes to raising kids. But she says that doesn't mean there aren't problems.
The executive director for the service center of abused and neglected children, Sanderson says Warner Robins is like many other cities across the nation, and is generally safe for chidren but can be dangerous.
Sanderson says in the spring they place one pinwheel for each abused child that year, and have made it a goal to have none when April rolls around.
"We haven't gotten there yet," says Sanderson. Last year we placed 209. And so that was a much smaller number. But that was still 200 children."
Tinley Park, which is 25 miles south of Chicago, came in first place. It was followed by Arcadia, California, which is 20 miles from Los Angeles. Fourth place went to Honolulu, Hawaii; Quincy, Massachusetts came in fifth.
