The Ocie Hill Neighborhood Center will celebrate its 100 year anniversary this summer. The building has housed everything from schools to after-school programs for primarily African-American children on the city’s north end of town. There are many positive activities still taking place in the building–like a girls mentoring program that has been empowering young girls for a over a decade.
“Right now we’re really facing a challenge in terms of the programs and the after-school programs,” said Programs Manager Brenda Phillips, to a room of about a dozen girls and their mothers or mother-like females. “A lot of people don’t know the value of what we do here and that’s why we want you all to be a part of this program, to spread the word to people to let them know how valuable we are to the community.”
The “All About Me” girls mentoring program started out as another girls group in 1999 that has only transcended time and different girls. The “All About Me” group was the brainchild of Hope Choteau, 20, and other girls who have attended after-school programs at Ocie Hill.
“We are all about health, fitness and nutrition,” Phillips said.
February’s meeting was all about the girls honoring their mothers or that special woman in their life who has had a positive influence in their lives.
“We are appreciating the women that are apart of these young ladies lives and we wanted to give recognition to that person,” Phillips said.
Sherri Jones, executive director at Ocie Hill, wrote a grant which was provided by the North End Community Improvement Collaborative (NECIC). NECIC offers north-end residents the opportunity to apply for and receive a $250 grant for a program or event that benefits the north-end. Residents have received small grant monies to help clean up neighborhoods to a community harvest festival for area children.
“The grant required that three people from the community could apply for it,” said Jones. “Our partnership with them is that we would supply the facilities and help them plan.”
Jones said she appreciates the partnership between NECIC and the community.
“This is a way that you build a community and we appreciate the opportunity to be able to provide this service to young girls,” she said.
These kinds of self-esteem building programs are important for African-American young girls, Jones said. “It shows them that they are valued,” she added. “Not only are they building themselves but they also get to see people who look like them who are doing things and show that they care and some don’t always get that. It’s the confidence and the feeling good about who they are.”
Mechelle Hairston, a grandmother and aunt who brought Janessa Hairston, 10, and Davanna Parks, 8, to the program said programs like these are needed for young girls.
“I’m a firm believer that it takes a village to raise a child,” she said.
Olivia Jones was also instrumental in forming the girls group. She said she has enjoyed being part of the girls group.
“I’m in the girls group because we come together as one,” the 12-year-old said.
The mothers or mentors received a pink carnation from their daughter or mentee. Food was provided as well as T-Shirts and gift bags.
For more information on the “All About Me” girls mentoring program contact Brenda Phillips at (419) 524-2626.
