All the time I am hearing stories about the youth of America that emphasize things not good. And, being the Pollyanna I am, I wonder where these people who tell those stories so incessantly live. I generally see Youth doing fantastic things and this week and next in Hartsville we have concrete evidence.
Today is Friday, June 25, 2010. The temperature is hovering between 94 and 101 as I write these words from an air-conditioned office. And, as I write 118 high school students and about 40 advisors are over on Heatly Drive in Hartsville erecting three (3) Habitat for Humanity homes. I tell you when you watch two young girls helped by two young guys lift a wall and put it in place you have a perspective on youth that burns into your gut. That happened just a few minutes ago and will happen all afternoon. The kids are leading the effort. The kids are doing they work. They are supervised, but the leadership is obviously student centered. Amy, whom I had the chance to meet is 17 a co-chair this year. "I can't wait until next year, when I can be the chair of the project," she said. She is a rising senior at her high school.
Here is the note Mark Haenchen, executive director of the Darlington County Habitat for Humanity sent out earlier this week about the project:
Hartsville is about to be invaded by Severna Park, Maryland's WoodsWork. A group of 120 youth and 42 advisors are coming to build 3 Habitat homes and finish a 4th home started by UUCC last week. They will be here one week, then their college age allumni will be here (32 of them) to put siding and sheetrock on the homes.
To imagine the size of this group, they would fill our movie theater. It takes half a semi truck load of food to feed them, and they are ordering 80 large pizza's for dinner the evening they arrive.
Construction of the homes will begin Friday at 1211 Myrtle St. and all along Heatley Dr. between Arbor Dr. and Security Dr. Come out and watch this crew in action. It is amazing what these high school students can do in a week.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=2010508&id=93100401&ref=mf
ReplyDeletehoping you can use that address to see some additional photos of this amazing Severna Park group at work in Hartsville. Their alumni group, which I think are called Driftwoods, are coming in this next week.