Mentoring program makes debut in W-S
Nonprofit program LEAD
Girls NC looks to expand
services to young girls in
Forsyth County
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
Last weekend LEAD Girls NC
(Leading Everyday, Accomplishing
Dreams), a non-prof
~ it mentoring program
for young girls, offi
|^S| cially launched in
Winston-Salem and
girls in Guilford
v.1 j County, LEAD Girls
NC is dedicated to providing the tools and
resources that low-income or- at-risk pre
teen girls must have to become productive
adults and active leaders in their communi
ties. According to founder Joy Nelson
Thomas, the program uses an evidence
based curriculum that encourages girls to
achieve greatness academically, emotion
ally and creatively. The curriculum focuses
on four core values: awareness, perspec
tive, leadership and communication.
Although LEAD Girls is fairly new to
the mentoring scene here in Winston
Salem, Nelson-Thomas has years of expe
rience as a mentor and knows the responsi
bility that comes with it as well. While
studying to obtain her bachelor's degree at
Salem College, Nelson-Thomas took the
daughter of a family friend into her own
home, without any assistance from the
government, and raised her as her own.
Although she admits at times it was
hard, Nelson-Thomas said after encourag
ing the teen to go to college, she knew she
had found her calling.
"I've always had a passion for helping
people," she said. "After raising a family
friend for about seven years and seeing the
hope I gave her, I realized that this was
what I wanted to do."
"I'm a strong believer that you can do
anything if you have that support system
and I wanted to create that support sys
tem."
Nelson-Thomas said, after starting out
slow, doors began to open up for LEAD
Girls and she was able to form a partner
ship with Guilford County Schools.
Since making the connection last
November, LEAD Girls has partnered with
local organizations like Big Brothers Big
Sisters and the American Foundation for
Suicide Prevention to take girls off their
waiting lists. The organization has also
partnered with Community One Bank to
open free bank accounts, and The Center
for Smart Financial, Choices, who will do a
program with the girls.
During a sit down with The Chronicle
last week, Nelson-Thomas noted although
. the program focuses on girls who are con
sidered at risk, the lessons provided
through the mentoring program are tools
young people from all backgrounds need
to be successful.
"Tfcic nmorom ic
M. IUO J/lVglUilJ AO
all about creating
leaders and making
sure young kids
have hope. Every
kid is really at risk,
even the ones who
have access to
money," she said. "I
feel like every girl
can benefit from this
nroiyram "
submitted phx,, Whik responsi
Thomas ble for most of the
legwork needed to
turn the dream of LEAD Girls into reality,
Nelson-Thomas said the organization's
board of directors plays a major role in the
success of the program as well. Nelson
Thomas said the board of directors is filled
with community activists who share the
same passion for improving the communi
ty and the lives of young people.
"We are here to help girls through life
and all the curves, turns and bumps they
may encounter. We are here to mold them
through it all." she said.
Members of the board of directors
include assistant professor and coordinator
of criminal studies at Salem College, Dr.
Kimya Dennis; Salem College professor
Jane Gillan Marrow; Salem College Chair
of the art history and design department,
Dr. Rosa Otero; High Point University
director of Corporate Foundation and
Community Support, Renee Taylor; Salem
College executive assistant for the vice
president of institutional advancement,
Melissa L. Wilson; and award-winning
author Jennifer Acosta.
"This group of women is passionate
about making an impact in this communi
ty," continued Nelson-Thomas. "It's so
important to surround yourself with people,
who are honest and are willing to work."
"As a grass roots organization, we need
prominent women that believe in the mis
sion, an that's what we have at LEAD
Girls NC."
In the future, Nelson-Thomas will be
looking to expand the program into other
coanties including Rockingham, Surry and
other surrounding.areas. During the meet
and-greet event held on Saturday, Aug. 13,
inside the Emberson Fine Arts Center on
the campus of Salem College, more than a
dozen young girls registered for the
upcoming fall semester.
As of Monday, Aug. 15, four spots
were still available. For more information
on LEAD Girls NC or to register for an
upcoming session, visit
ww w.leadgirls .org.
311 f fl r n bl With Shakespeare
BY TEVIN ST1NSON
THE CHRONICLE
More than a dozen
young people spent Friday
afternoon performing their
own hip-hop infused rendi
tion of "Electra," a Greek
tragedy written by
Sophocles.
Set a few years after the
Trojan War, the tale of
Electra is one of
vengeance.
After the death of their
father, Agamemnon, at the
hands of her mother,
Electra and her brother
Orestes seek revenge on
their mother, Clytemnestra,
and stepfather, Aegisthus,
for the murder.
TL. : rr *1
i ne spinon ui me
Greek tragedy performed
by young performers last
week was set in Haiti to
match the paintings
inspired by the small coun
try in Central Anatolia,
hanging inside the Delta
Fine Arts Center. The per
formance wrapped up a
unique three-week summer
enrichment program that
encourages students to
express themselves by
learning and performing
classical plays.
While most students
elect for summer camps
that are centered around
outdoor activities like
sports or nights around a
camp fire, middle schoolers
Lanni Jayne, Allen Wolcott
and Dulce Sole Hernandez
spent the last three weeks
reading various works by
Shakespeare and other
authors, interpreting vari
ous pieces of art and read
ings. Not to mention, get
ting acting tips to use on
stage from professional
actors.
Sixth grader at Paisley
Magnet School Lanni
Jayne said preparing for the
lead role of Electra called
for a lot of extra work. She
said preparing for opening
night helped her learn how
to manage her time and to
be confident.
"Although I was nerv
ous at first, after I got to
know my lines I started to
become more confident in
myself," said Jayne.
"Being confident on stage
is like being confident in
life."
Allen Wolcott, an
eighth grader at Paisley
said although it was chal
lenging, the camp was fun
at the same time. Wolcott,
who also attended the camp
last year, said the main
thing he took away from
this year's experience was
the importance of team
work.
"I came back because I
enjoyed it so much last
year," he continued. "It
really is something fun to
do," Wolcott said.
"Anyone who is look
ing for something to do in
the summer that's fun and a
challenge at the same time,
this camp is for you," he
said. "I promise you won't
regret it."
Eighth grader at Flat
Rock Middle School Dulce
Hernandez said although it
was her first time perform
ing, after working with
camp co-founders and pro
fessional actors Laiona
Michelle and Shuwanda
Nzikou-Ilagole, she is
thinking about joining the <
drama club when she goes
to high school next year.
:>nakers rertorming
Arts Camp teaches
Shakespeare and classical
theatre through music,
dance, and textural inter
pretation. The camp, which
is supported by the
Reynolds American
Foundation, also promotes
reading and presentation
skills, creativity, self-confi
dence, and teamwork.
Following the perform
ance that brought the audi
ence to their feet, Michelle
said the foundation of the
enrichment was built over
15 years ago in New York
where she lives, with a goal
to introduce children in the,
inner city to classical art
and to create productive
>eople who can contribute
o their communities.
"In theatre you have
hree major things: You
lave your goal, you have
r'our tactic, and your obsta
cle and we feel like that is
ife. These are skills they
vill use every day," contin
led Michelle. "We're not
rying to create the next
celebrity, but what we are
xying to create is responsi
ble citizens and I think we
can do that through the
irts."
Nzikou-Ilagole, who
serves as the camp's artistic
iirector, said, "We teach
them that success is when
opportunity meets prepara
tion.
"When they walk away
from this piece of art, they
are in fact creators. These
young people will be able
to return to their English
class and be able to engage
in conversations," she said.
Drama instructor and
city native Brandon
Johnson, a graduate of Pace
University Actors Studio
School of Drama in New
York, helped with the camp
as well. Johnson said he
was impressed after seeing
the students perform.
"They came around and
really got it together in no
time," he said. "They are at
that age where their cre
ativity flows and it's actu
ally amazing to watch them
at that age because it's total
honesty."
Shakers Performance
Arts Camp is offered to
children ages 6-17. The
three-week camp costs
$60. For more information
or to register in the future,
contact Delta Fine Arts
Executive Director
Nadiyah Quander at the
center.
Educator Warehouse continues
to give supplies to teachers
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
As any teacher knows,
students aren't the only
ones in need of school sup
plies. Teachers do, too, and
that's something that The
Educator Warehouse is try
ing to help with.
The Educator
Warehouse is filled with
free supplies Winston
Salem/Forsyth County
Schools teachers can get
four times a year. Supplies
include both school neces
sities for children who for
got their supplies or simply
couldn't afford them, and
supplies the teachers them
selves will use.
Teachers schedule
appointments online to
come by the Warehouse,
which is located in a 16
room pod at Diggs-Latham
Elementary School, to
"spend" the 25 points they
get each quarter on items.
Teachers get an average of
$100 to $150 of supplies a
quarter. Nationally, teach
ers spend $500 to $800 on
school supplies a year, so
the Warehouse can be a
huge help.
"The school system
doesh't supply teacher's
school supplies; parents
and PTAs do," said Karel
f
Chandler, one of the found
ing members of the
Warehouse, which is a part
nership between the school
system, Forsyth Education
Partnership and Winston
Salem/Forsyth County
PTA. "We have to take care
of our kids: They're our
future. We want every child
to have the proper school
supplies for learning at the
start of the day and to have
an even playing field."
The Warehouse is run
by volunteers and depends
on donations to fill its sup
plies. There are corporate
donors like Allen Tate
Realty, Reynolds American
and Publix.
There are many indi
vidual donors, too. On
Monday afternoon, Pat
Hellinger, a retired math
teacher, stopped by the
Warehouse. He was clean
ing out his home and
donated a box of math
workbooks he had leftover
from his time as an educa
tor. He also donated a bag
of tennis balls. The
Warehouse has tennis balls
that teachers will carve a
hole in and place on the
bottom of chair legs, so the
chairs won't make as much
noise when students slide
them across the floor.
Chandler said retired teach
y
ers are a frequent source of
donations.
Thte donations are sort
ed by volunteers and even
tually end up in one of sev
eral rooms. The supply
room is often called
"Christmas morning" by
teachers with a variety of
supplies like markers, pen
cils, glue sticks, stickers,
notebooks, paper and even
facial tissue. There's a
library room with books to
help teachers build their
classroom libraries. There
is a math and science room
along with a language arts
and social studies room
filled with books and sup
plies to teach both subjects.
Jo Ann Fabrics and Craft
Store sponsors a room
filled with art supplies.
Chandler said the
demand has increased since
the Warehouse began in
2011, with 1,500 teachers
served last year. She said
she was appreciative of the
continued community sup
port that allows the ware
house to continue to serve
teachers.
To donate supplies,
contact Chandler at 336
817-1673 or kchan
dler3@msn.com. To make
a fiscal donation, go to
forsythedpartnersh ip .org/e
d/give.
? Ijfejflgl -
tfiMR
WAREHOUSE SALE
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