She goes by the name “Smiley.”

And it fits because that’s what Chenita Smiley brings to the faces of so many people.

As youth programs coordinator for the Broadway Neighborhood Center in Iowa City, Smiley spends much of her time helping make life better for others.

She works closely with disadvantaged children and their families to help them meet the demands of everyday life. She also helps single parents adjust to their new responsibilities.

Her job seems to bring something different every day, which is part of the appeal.

“I think I probably enjoy the fact that no two days look the same,” Smiley said. “Since we’re dealing with families, there’s always situations that come about, either with kids or with parents or a family situation.

“Like for instance, this neighborhood is a very transitional neighborhood. So families are here today, and sometimes by their own choosing or other circumstances, they’re gone tomorrow. So we try and patch up things the best we can to make sure the families still continue their success once they leave this neighborhood.”

Smiley grew up in Chicago and graduated from the University of Iowa. She always has been concerned about people, and that ultimately led to her career.

She coordinates events for kids in kindergarten through high school. One such program is the Breakthrough to Literacy, which helps introduce kids to reading.

She also helps oversee community service  projects for kids of all ages and she helps with  various social projects.

She helps preschool-aged kids prepare for kindergarten and she helps coordinate parent  support groups.

Mostly, she just helps.

“The reward for me, whether it’s the kids or the parents, is when they come in and they’re proud about something they did,” Smiley said. “Whether it be an assignment at school or the way they handled some type of conflict, or a job that a parent is looking for and they’ve done their resume to go after it.

“My reward is when they’re proud of themselves.”

— Pat Harty

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