The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

December 29, 2009

Gospel concert in January to benefit rural teens

KIMBERLY BELLAMY

The flag football and basketball tournaments the town Parks and Recreation Department sponsors each year was a big part of Tarboro resident, Aarius Sherrod's life when he was younger, but looking back on it, he wishes there was more.

Now instead of hoping there was more for the younger generation, he's going to offer activities for the youth himself.

Sherrod is starting an organization called A+ Outreach and Enrichment to provide outlets for under privileged families to become engaged in activities that expose them to opportunities outside of Edgecombe County.

"Kids look at what's around them, and they think that's all it is, or they look at other's situation, and think that's all there is," Sherrod said.

"My goal and aim would be to help those families to see outside of that box."

Sherrod commended the Parks and Recreation Department for the work they do, but cited that he hasn't seen much variation in programs since he participated in them as a child.

"It's like we're setting them up to fail. The parents don't know any better because that's all they see," he said.

Parks and Recreation Athletic Director Warren Mitchell, who has been working at the department for 19 years, said they offer many programs, which are often recommendations from youth during roundtable discussions.

"If the kids suggest it, we'll try it if it's in reason," Mitchell said.

"We cater the programs to whatever kids want to do."

Current programs he mentioned they are offering include arts and crafts, 3-on-3 basketball, cooking classes, and the TAG program, which focuses on gang prevention.

Mitchell did admit that the turnout for the programs could be better.

"We're pretty pleased, but we would like to have more," he said.

Sherrod's first step in making an impact in youth's lives is sponsoring a gospel concert to benefit a non-profit organization called beGlobal, which was founded by Pinetops native Quenesha McNair.

McNair's organization was established in 2007, and exposes rural American teenagers to community service both in and out of the country.

Sherrod learned about beGlobal through post relating to the organization on the social networking Web site Facebook.

"Kids are my passion, and by working with kids, it was put in my heart to extend my hand to help her," he said.

McNair and Sherrod had mutual friends from high school, but didn't meet each other until connecting for the concert.

"It really made sense to collaborate and do something we felt passionate about," McNair said.

In addition to the concert, she started a blog Web site called At War With Statistics that sends rural teenagers a message that they have the potential to succeed.

McNair said that sometimes rural teens are oblivious to how they match up to kids in other communities.

"I want them to be at war with the statistics facing them. We are as talented, we are as ambitious," she said.

The concert to benefit the teens will be held on Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. in the auditorium of the McIntyre Building at Edgecombe Community College. Performers include Timothy McGuire of Tarboro, George Dickens Jr. of Tarboro and Dezrick Dickson of Durham.

Tickets are $12 for adults, and $7 for youth. Call Sherrod at 314-5141 for tickets.

To find out more about McNair organization visit www.teensbeglobal.com or http://atwarwithstatistics.blogspot.com

Text Only
Local News
  • Teresa Bryant headshot.jpg Bryant declines to seek re-election

    Teresa DeLoatch Bryant announced she will not seek re-election to the District 2 seat she now holds on the Edgecombe County Public Schools Board. The announcement came 91 days before the May 8 Primary Election and nearly a year after the first-term plus one year board member announced her resignation for personal and career reasons. She later rescinded her decision.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • MimiHerman.jpg W.A. Patillo receives $5,000 poetry grant

    W.A. Pattillo School has been awarded $5,000 from the North Carolina Arts Council for Poetry in the Classroom with Mimi Herman.
    The funds will be used to provide a week of poetry writing experiences for seven fourth grade classes through the expertise and creativity of Herman. Students will gain self-confidence, and will view themselves as writers rather than merely consumers of literature. They will learn to use language effectively and creatively to communicate thoughts, feeling, and impressions.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • IMG_5889.JPG Pizza Bowl

    The biggest football game of the year brings the largest sale of the year for two area pizza restaurants.
    Tarboro branches of Pizza Inn and Dominos Pizza are gearing up for Super Bowl XLVI Sunday by increasing their regular employee lineup by as many as seven.
    Pizza Inn is running a special that they believe will keep them busy throughout the day. Last year they sold over 200 large pizzas on Super Bowl Sunday compared to 50 on an average Sunday.

    February 3, 2012 1 Photo

  • Edgecombe unemployment up in December

    TARBORO — Unemployment rates increased in 93 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in December. Rates decreased in four counties and remained the same in three.
    Edgecombe, which saw a slight improvement in November, fell back to its October 2011 level (15.7%). Of the 100 counties in North Carolina, Edgecombe and Dare are tied at third highest in unemployment. 

    February 3, 2012

  • Three ECPS campuses ahead of First Lady's nutritional guidelines

    When First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced new guidelines for the nutritional overhaul of school meals last week, they could have chosen three of Edgecombe County's public schools as their models.

    February 2, 2012

  • Lynn_Cale.jpg ECC Executive Named to United Way Board

    J. Lynn Cale, associate vice president of instruction at Edgecombe
    Community College, has been named to the United Way Tar River Region
    Board of Directors.
        The Tar River Region serves Edgecombe and Nash counties. Cale
    will serve a one-year term, from January to December 2012.
        He and other board members oversee 41 local health and human
    service programs funded through United Way as well as 21 Community
    Partners and various community development partnerships.
    RIGHT: J. Lynn Cale

    February 2, 2012 1 Photo

  • Pattillo Alumni Association on the move

    The Board of Directors (BOD) of W.A. Pattillo High School National Alumni
    Association, Inc. held a meeting on Jan. 21, at Pattillo School under the leadership of its President, Dr. Fred S. Wood, Jr.  All of the officers except one were in attendance, accompanied by 9 of 16 Board Members and 9 of 10 Appointed Standing Committee Chairpersons.

    February 2, 2012

  • BandSEDriverHouse.jpg Local students selected for N.C. Eastern All-District Band

    Three Edgecombe County Public Schools students have been chosen to play in the All-District Band. Lillian House, an alto saxophone player and Kaitlin Driver, a French horn player both eighth graders from South Edgecombe Middle School and West Edgecombe Middle School eighth grade flute player, Taylor Joyner earned the honor this year and will grace the stage at East Carolina University’s Wright Auditorium Feb. 3.

    February 1, 2012 2 Photos

  • Robbery prevention

    Community education on robbery prevention shares equal importance with the search of robbery suspects. Robbery prevention may seem unachievable, but we can not continue to ignore the problem of robbery in our community. As local citizens, we should create ways in which everyone can benefit from the knowledge of robbery prevention.

    February 1, 2012

  • GHW 01-28-1221.JPG George Henry White: tribute to a great American

      Why isn’t George Henry White a household name?  If Vincent Spalding has anything to do with it, that will soon change.
         Long ignored in African American history books and recognitions, George Henry White of North Carolina was elected to Congress in 1896, and re-elected in 1898, becoming the last African American elected to Congress after Reconstruction, and the first to serve in the 20th century.

    January 31, 2012 1 Photo