Shopper news • JULY 27, 2016 • SCHOOL-5
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News from Emerald Youth Foundation of Knoxville
A Message from Steve Diggs Emerald Youth President and CEO This summer has been a tremendous one at Emerald Youth, and our successful engagement with children across the city is due in large part to the young adults serving as urban youth workers through the federal service proSteve Diggs gram, AmeriCorps. One such person is Thomas Davis. Thomas, a Fulton High School graduate who is entering his senior year at Johnson University, is serving with us this summer at Western Heights Baptist Center. He leads valuable learning activities, helps neighborhood kids make healthy lifestyle choices and works to build thriving relationships with the youth. Like many of our volunteers and youth workers throughout the years, Thomas is a product of the neighborhood in which he’s serving, so he is able to uniquely connect with the kids. As a matter of fact, he was involved in Western Heights Baptist Center as a youth, so he understands the challenges today’s kids face and how, through God’s work in their lives, they can mature into young men and women who will one day give back to their community. Here’s what else is neat about Thomas’ role with us this summer: he’s been interning with Emerald’s communications department as part of his journalism major at Johnson University, so we’ve asked him to write a couple of stories for us this month. One is about his personal experience working with kids at Western Heights Baptist Center and the other is a wrap-up of the exciting Knoxville Force soccer season. I hope you enjoy reading both. It is a real joy to be in ministry with young adults like Thomas who care deeply for their city and are helping raise up children as the next generation of leaders in our urban neighborhoods. This work is only possible because of the generous support by so many throughout Knoxville. Thank you!
Making a
difference in Western Heights
By Thomas Davis Growing up as an inner-city kid in Western Heights, summer was a time for me to get away from school and hang out with friends, and a main location of stability for this was the Western Heights Baptist Center. Now as an urban youth worker through the AmeriThomas Davis Corps program, I have the privilege of serving in the JustLead Ministry at Western Heights Baptist Center and experiencing first-hand the difference summer makes for the kids. Many of them come from impoverished areas and are being raised in single-parent households. While we seek to have fun with the children daily, a main priority is to help them grow in their education. Many of the kids attending JustLead are either one or two reading levels behind their grade, so it is a goal to read every day. Throughout the summer, I’ve seen positive change in the kids from a behavior, education and faith perspective. At first, a child has to develop a trust that you have their best interest in mind. After trust is gained, the relationship is able to flourish into a mutual respect. I noticed children being responsible for themselves and their peers. This maturity comes from them understanding what an adult expects from
Kids enjoy the playground at Western Heights Baptist Center.
them and it carries over throughout the program. Under the guidance of Shannon Washam and Natalie Reyes, our program is able to show kids a different perspective of community. We routinely do Bible study, recreation, arts and crafts, and fun field trips to help our kids grow. Inner-
The Knoxville Force women were Southeast Conference Champions in the Women’s Premier Soccer League.
Kids become Royal Explorers Thanks to Johnson University’s Urban Alliance initiative, more than 30 Emerald Youth middle schoolers attended Royal Explorers Science Camp this summer. Over the course of two weeks, youth visited Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Ijams Nature Center and the Knoxville Utilities Board, just to name a few. The camp helps students develop a passion for and knowledge of science. Emerald Youth kids enjoyed a tour of KUB during Royal Explorers Science Camp.
city programs like JustLead at Western Heights Baptist Center are a reason young people like me are able to flourish in society instead of becoming a horrible statistic. The love and care from Christian leaders gives kids an equal opportunity to make something of themselves in this world instead of following a path of evil.
Another Force season in the books By Thomas Tho hom mas Davis ma Davi Da vis is The Knoxvillee Fo Forc Force rcee so socc soccer ccer er sseaeaea son for the men and women was a flurry of ups and downs. Coming off an undefeated 2015 season, the women only collected two wins in the regular season this year. Arguably, those wins came at the most important time — right before postseason play began — propelling the women into the playoffs and winning the Southeast Conference Championship in the Women’s Premier Soccer League. After not winning a single game last year, the men won five games this summer, including two at home against Nashville and Birmingham. The turnaround can be credited in part to great fan participation and support, like that of fan group Scruffy City Syndicate, which at-
tended te nd ded d eeach ach ac h game game gam ga me cheering cheering on the t and team te am a nd d making mak akiing ing lots lo of noise. The environment and fan participation at Sansom Sports Complex, even on rainy game days, was a thrilling experience. The first home game this season introduced a record crowd of more than 400 fans. For each game the energy throughout the complex remained enthusiastic and jubilant. At half time, kids were invited to play a game at center field, bringing laughter and joy to those in attendance. All season long, the support of Force fans and highly competitive games left the image of the 2016 season as a progressive step to the future. As the season concluded, the growth of the Force and support of the fans began a new age of Knoxville Force soccer.
Emerald Youth Foundation | 1718 N. Central St., Knoxville, TN 37917 | 865-637-3227 | www.emeraldyouth.org