Information on Project “PAPOY”


Editor’s Note: This information was distributed at the recent opening of Owen-Davis Park on Owen Street in South Henderson. We are sharing it with our readers for their consideration and perusal.

PAPOY

SCOPE OF WORK:

1. Cleanup and Restoration of King Daughters Park I

2. Creation and Implementation of Community Initiative Programs

3. Design and Roll-Out of Community Service Projects for At-Risk Youth

4. Creation and Structure of Interdependent Network between Church, School and City

5. Creation and Design of secure PAPOY database

6. Project Proposals for Potential Partner Companies

7. Structure and Design of Event Calendar

8. Training and Recruitment of Mentors of Youth

9. Grant Writing and Submission

10. Creation of Newsletter and Website

1. CLEANUP AND RESTORATION OF KING DAUGHTERS I PARK:

www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/briefs/brief36.htm

The National Park Service defines Historic Landscapes to include “residential gardens and community parks, scenic highways, rural communities, institutional grounds, cemeteries, battlefields and zoological gardens.” Further, part of the Park Service mission is to “provide a framework and guidance for undertaking projects to ensure a successful balance between historic preservation and change.” Clearly, King Daughters’ history as an urban parkland, its legacy before and after segregation, and its current situation as a centrally-located, multi-use, year-round community resource render it an ideal candidate for designation as an Historic Landscape. It is our desire to implement a long-range strategy for the preservation and restoration of this valuable resource. However, there must be a skillful balancing act between seeking government expertise and funding, and becoming so bogged down in bureaucracy and requisite paperwork that the overall project suffers. It is our contention that both outstanding young people and at-risk youth can help offset the investment of time and talent required to secure this designation from the National Park Service (NPS). Talented teens can research and help develop long-range strategies to maintain King Daughters I (KDI). At-risk youth can provide the sweat-equity required to restore and preserve this valuable part of the city’s history. DAS Organization is committed to providing the resources and infrastructure to bring these goals to fruition. In the short-term, DAS organization will undertake the cleanup and revitalization of King Daughters I utilizing currently available talent and resources.

2. Creation and Implementation of Community Initiative Programs

In our efforts to reach disadvantaged and at-risk youth, DAS Organization is embarking upon new and innovative means by which to create opportunities for young people to share their perceptions, interests and talents, to promote a healthy and safe environment in the community, and motivate kids to become responsible and productive citizens in our community:

  • Internet education and outreach (i.e. e-newsletters and facilitation of online distance-education classes)
  • Education and training in digital media technologies ranging from simple PowerPoint presentations to PremierePro digital video production
  • Opportunities for creativity and self-expression via music and talent programs and “poetry slams”
  • Social Skill and Etiquette seminars
  • Civic Education and Training
  • Intramural Leagues/Golf/Tennis
  • Entrepreneurial Development
  • Environmental Awareness Programs
  • It will require a major commitment of time, resources and talent from all sectors to accomplish our ambitious goals. City, community and church leaders must come together and hammer out strategies that will be effective and beneficial for our young people–whether they are disadvantaged, gifted and talented, or at-risk. We seek to create a network of currently available programs and original strategies designed to complement and build upon one another.

    3. Design and Roll-Out of Community Service Projects for At-Risk Youth

    Impressive ideas are a dime a dozen. Not so plentiful are the means and the manpower to produce results. DAS Organization seeks to enlist from the city, community and church the time, resources and technical expertise required to reach its goals for youth:

  • Technical Assistance
  • Office Supplies
  • Sporting Equipment/Venues
  • Computer Hardware and Software
  • Consultative Services
  • City Venues for DAS programming
  • Labor
  • Secure Database Design
  • Administrative Assistance
  • Counseling and Referral Services
  • Seeking and obtaining grant funding takes time. DAS Organization is counting upon the city, church and community to stand in the gap while these sources are identified and accessed by us. Any worthwhile program is only as effective as the support it receives from interested parties. A committed, active partnership between all entities is critical to our success.

    4. Creation and Structure of Interdependent Network between Church, School and City

    There are many fine programs, both statewide and local, which can help DAS Organization achieve its aims. Rather than duplicating certain aspects of our program, we seek to partner with the City of Henderson, Vance County Schools, United Way of Vance County, and county churches to access and utilize existing resources. To accomplish this logistical feat requires the willing participation and cooperation of all parties. Involved persons and entities must be prepared to share resources, time and expertise with or without public acknowledgment!

    5. Creation and Design of secure PAPOY database

    In order to track participants, target companies that support or may support our programs in the future, and to create a “buddy system” for PAPOY youth, it will be necessary to create a secure informational database for the DAS Organization. Hardening of computing and database systems is crucial to protect the integrity of our programs and the privacy of its participants. This program component is one that requires advanced technical expertise in order to ensure successful implementation. We are calling upon the city, as well as the computer experts in our church community, to help us design and build this vital part of the PAPOY infrastructure. We will also seek funding from the Microsoft/Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to accomplish this end. Through this endeavor, we can also provide an excellent means of training our youth in the fastest growing sector of computing technology–Network Security.

    6. Project Proposals for Potential Partner Companies

    One of the most daunting aspects of any not-for-profit undertaking is revenue-generation and the seeking of corporate support. DAS Organization will reach out to many different entities in the public and private sector in order to advance its mission of service to youth. Companies as varied as McDonald’s Corporation and Nationwide Insurance will be approached with informative, well-designed and polished presentations. We will write and submit grant proposals as well. Also, we will enlist the expertise and assistance of local businesses and organizations such as

    4-H Club, Rotary International, Jay-Cees and the Junior Women’s League, so that the community may play its part in the success of our programs.

    7. Structure and Design of Event Calendar

    In our efforts to provide quality musical entertainment for the community, DAS Organization will structure and design an event calendar for Kings Daughters I which will span a range of musical styles and cover the seasons, since King Daughters is a viable outdoor venue for most of the year. While we understand that no organization can be all things to all people, we will strive to provide a variety of musical genres and styles to the citizens of Henderson and Vance County. We will seek the assistance of the city and community to publicize events and maximize attendance. Also, we will use the event calendar as a means to showcase the talents of our young people, thereby helping them grow in confidence and self-assurance, as they express themselves creatively.

    8. Training and Recruitment of Mentors for Youth

    One of the most challenging aspects of youth programs is recruiting, screening and training of appropriate mentors. Peer counseling by exemplary young people fills many needs in this regard; still, adult mentors are a critical and scarce resource. Again, DAS Organization must prevail upon the church community, especially, to provide leadership, integrity and accountability in this regard. Seminars, workshops and other forms of training must be provided, as well as the proper and thorough screening of all potential mentors. The city and county will be an important consultative and administrative resource for this program component. Entities such as the Human Relations Commission may be able to access or provide critical training in crisis intervention and mediation. The State Bureau of Investigation may also be called upon to provide criminal background checks and screening of mentor-applicants.

    9. Grant Writing and Submission

    Ongoing support is the only means of ensuring the longevity and vitality of our programs. Grant writing and submission takes time. Often, it is a process of months and years, rather than days and weeks. Consulting and grant writing services are also critical to the continued success of DAS Organization’s mission of service to youth. It is not something we can do alone. The city, church and community must do its share. Administrative support, expert consultation, and plain old hard work must be had from all sectors. We seek to emulate successful modes of grant writing and submission, with the understanding that success will often be an incremental process. Again, DAS Organization will utilize existing resources as we lay the groundwork for public, private, and philanthropic support of our programs.

    Potential Funding Sources include:

  • National Science Foundation
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • National Park Service
  • NC Department of Cultural Resources
  • Golden Leaf Foundation
  • ToastMasters International
  • Fraternities and Sororities
  • AmeriCorps
  • 10. Creation of Newsletter and Website

    One of the most exciting aspects of the Information Age is the availability of and access to nearly limitless forms of knowledge. To give our young people an idea of the possibilities, and to keep the community informed of our activities, we will design, create and distribute both hard-copy and electronic newsletters. Our website will be current, informative, lively, and fun. These program components will provide a creative outlet for the writers and thinkers amidst our young folk, and will provide a training ground for the practical and logistically-minded among them as well. (Gotta get that newsletter out!) A competition to name these entities will be our starting point. Participants will have the opportunity to submit articles, photographs, poems, recipes, and (possibly) advice to either the newsletter or the website. Writers of promise will have an opportunity to earn their own column and by-line on the website. Outstanding grades and achievements will be published in the newsletter and on-line. PAPOY participants will learn to operate under deadlines and to produce a quality product for public consumption. The website will be designed and implemented as a safe space for kids and teens to congregate on the internet.

    The commitment of support from the City of Henderson is a fine beginning as we seek to implement the strategies, goals and mission of PAPOY in service to our community’s youth. However, commitment is only one part of what will be required to make our program a success. A brand new spirit of humility and cooperation must be embraced if we are to refrain from “more of the same”. The time has come for old-line community organizations to stop sitting upon their hands as they wait for “someone else to do it”. We most assuredly ARE that “someone else”, and only a true desire to be of service will engender the willingness and inner fortitude required to move the status quo. No one wants to be “a part of the problem”, and everyone thinks they would like an opportunity to become “a part of the solution”. Here is your chance! City employees, we know you are busy! Community leaders, we know you are being pulled in every conceivable direction! Church leaders, we know that you are accountable to a higher authority! Without all of you, no program will achieve its highest and best results.

    We look forward to your able and willing contribution to the aims, goals and mission of PAPOY – Preparing and Preserving Our Youth, and we certainly thank you for your efforts.