The Dart: Local teen looks to future on birthday

Published 12:00 am Monday, July 11, 2016

NATCHEZ — Woodville Drive in Natchez was quiet Wednesday except for the hum of a Dax Winston’s lawnmower.

The heat had driven most people inside when The Dart found its way to the quiet neighborhood off Highland Boulevard in south Nathcez.

Inside his house, Winston’s stepdaughter Jada Richardson was with her friend Mia Singleton relaxing and enjoying her 15th birthday.

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Unlike most 15-year-olds, Richardson wasn’t throwing a party or expecting “happy birthday” messages on Facebook — she doesn’t even have a Facebook account.

However, Richardson said she did receive multiple messages through Snapchat and Instagram.

“I feel like Facebook is for old people,” Richardson said. “I did put on Snapchat that it was my day, though.”

She planned to spend her birthday relaxing with her friends because, she said, her birthday was not a big deal.

“I’m just blessed to see another year,” Richardson said. “I pray I have many more.”

Richardson said she plans to wait a few weeks to get her learner’s permit to drive.

“I need to study for it,” she said. “I already know how to drive.”

Richardson also said she would change a few things if she could redo 14.

“I’d just have a better attitude towards a lot of things,” Richardson said. “And I’d try to better myself.”

Richardson said as she gets older, she realizes that she is going to have to take on more responsibilities and, eventually, do everything on her own.

She did not have big plans for her birthday other than to go out to eat with family and friends, but the rest of the summer is a different story.

Richardson, a rising sophomore at Natchez High School, has been a cheerleader for four years and plans to attend cheer camp at the University of Southern Mississippi later this month.

Richardson said the reason she loves to cheerlead is because of the leadership possibilities it provides.

“Cheerleaders are very outspoken,” Richardson said. “I think I’m an outspoken person.”

Richardson is the daughter of LaToya and Dax Winston.