Youth Group Visits, Serenades North Richland Work Activity Center

Twenty-five youths, from 14 to 18 years old, visited North Richland Work Activity Center on July 7 to see the vocational center in action. Dave Asmond, Program Director, and Ruby Majeed, Work Adjustment Instructor, showed the group around the facility and introduced them to the workers there, explaining the facility’s programs in detail. The young people are participants in the Congress Youth Leadership Academy, a weeklong program under the aegis of Dr. Kelvin Wiley, pastor of Refuge Temple, in Columbia. The visit’s aim was to introduce the future leaders to the importance of community service.

The visitors sang lively spirituals for the workers at North Main , which inspired hand clapping and, later, enthusiastic applause.

This is the second year that high school students, sponsored by their own churches, have traveled to Columbia from as far away as Miami , Florida and Hartford , Connecticut to be part of the one-week leadership program, which Dr. Wiley founded. They participate in workshops that teach practical skills such as career development and entrepreneurship, as well as finer points such as the use of proper etiquette and the power of positive thinking.

“I think Babcock is awesome,” said Jeremy Harp, 17, of Miami . “Training people to become productive is very impressive.” On his first visit to South Carolina, Jeremy is president of his youth group at the Delray Beach Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ.