Expanding horizons for kids is the goal

The ambition now is lining up support from the community.

By BETH N. GRAY, Times Correspondent
Published August 30, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Theresa Davis] Evelyn Hackney (left) is championing a nationally chartered organization, the NAACP Youth Council of Hernando County, which aims to expand the horizons and learning of local youths. The council has already signed up 130 members, ages 5 to 21, both black and white.

BROOKSVILLE -- If children don't experience life beyond their own neighborhoods, schools and churches, they likely won't have much of a view of their community, state, nation or the rest of the world. They may not even recognize the value of graduating from high school, says Evelyn Hackney, a retired educator.

Hackney is championing a nationally chartered organization, the NAACP Youth Council of Hernando County, which aims to expand the horizons and learning of local youths. The council has already signed up 130 members, ages 5 to 21, both black and white.

Hackney, who still serves as a substitute teacher, has written to some 100 Hernando County businesses, seeking their support for the new organization. In particular, she is drumming up backing for the local NAACP's major fundraising dinner in October, which will provide the youth council with its first budget.

"My main goal is education," said council adviser Isabel Harris, "enlightening children, their history, how to conduct yourself."

Hackney, education chairman for the chapter, added: "I want them to learn leadership skills. Also, we're talking about classes for reading and writing."

Exposure to a larger world feeds into that, Hackney said. "If you don't have experiences, what can you write about? If your experience is going to school and church, what do you have to share in your writing?"

Hackney and Harris envision taking the young people to Tallahassee to see state government at work, to the Kennedy Space Center to give them a planetary view, perhaps to Washington, D.C., to visit museums and other academic enrichment sites.

Closer to home, Harris would like the children to stage political forums. "Maybe candidates running for office will talk to youth about what their plans are," she said. Harris also said she will encourage the young people to attend city council and county commission meetings.

"What we're trying to do is ... to prepare them for civic involvement," added Wayman Boggs, president of the Hernando NAACP chapter and a retired physician.

Boggs and Hackney are candid about serious issues among the African-American population in Hernando and nationwide.

"A disproportionate number of black youths are incarcerated," Boggs said. "Drug addiction is a problem that needs to be addressed." He lamented the high school dropout rate among blacks.

Hackney concurred. "They watch TV. They don't read newspapers. They can't read. A lot of babies are raising babies."

Boggs sees the youth council as a mechanism for instilling values that will cut into those issues. "If they're involved in educational activities, it's definitely a positive move for them," he said.

"We need more mentors," said Harris. That's another goal of the council. "We are looking for mentors, black and white, it doesn't matter, maybe retired teachers."

Two of the council's older members already have agreed to serve as mentors: LaTola Harris, 20, of Ridge Manor and Marcel Redding, 21, of Brooksville, both students at Pasco-Hernando Community College.

"We have big goals but no money," noted Harris.

A big water jug is available for loose change at twice-monthly council meetings. It maybe contains $200. "We'll break that open one day; we don't know when."

The NAACP chapter's Freedom Fund money-raiser, a soul-food dinner, is set for Oct. 13 at Elks Lodge 2582 at 14494 Cortez Boulevard.

Chef Gordon Fleming, a stalwart with the Hernando County African-American Club, will cook up barbecued ribs and chicken, fish, potato salad, greens, dinner rolls, peach cobbler and dump cake with vanilla ice cream. Tickets are $40. "Remember," says Hackney, "it's a fundraiser."

Tickets are available from various members of the NAACP chapter.

To join or support the youth council, contact Hackney at (352) 684-0340 or Harris at (352) 796-6999. The group meets next at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 8 at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Brooksville. A light supper will be provided.

Beth Gray can be contacted at graybethn@earthlink.net.

[Last modified August 29, 2007, 20:52:52]