This summer Odyssey Concierge CEO Jerricka Kelly took on the
summer challenge of organizing and operating in a phenomenal summer program at
the Chester Hynes Recreation Center in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
This program gave local children a summer
learning experience they will never forget. Incorporated into the summer
experience was the Arts in Motion Summer Enrichment Program, designed to meet
the many needs of all student participants by providing a viable learning
atmosphere that offered a fun, safe, and healthy environment conducive for
learning.

One of the main objectives of Arts in Motion Summer
Enrichment Program was to expose the children to new experiences via educational
encounters, cultural enrichment and physical fitness and nutrition. The
ultimate goal of the program is to enhance the overall transition from youth to
young adults.
This summer program took tremendous community effort
including the Trinity Feeding Program which partnered with the program and
provided 2 meals a day for the children breakfast, and lunch. In addition, Dr.
Carol Beeman mentor of Program Director Laura Hildreth played a vital role in
planning curriculum and project coordination. Other vital camp participants
included: Community Centers Education Coordinator, Joyce Suggs, Summer Program
Educational Coordinator, Dela Lee, Certified life-time educator Alona
Fontenette, Certified educator Mary Craig, and all of the remaining staff was
crucial to the success of the Summer Program.
According to the
National Summer Learning Association,
inactive children “do forget over the summer”. Moreover, many economically
disadvantage students are more like to have summer learning loss due to the
lack of summer programing which not only stimulate them physically but also
mentally. One thing is for sure, at the Chester Hynes Community Center there
was never a dull moment for the young participants. Their schedules where
filled with activities which included: Presidential Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports, Fishing, Archery, Ball Room, Tap and Praise Dancing, Arts &
Crafts, Music, Community Service Projects, weekly field trips skating, bowling,
movies, library, water park, and touring of Heifer Village International.

Jerricka Kelly, MBA
of Odyssey Concierge was instrumental in obtaining additional funds for Team
Hunter a group that was created for young people from 13 to 15 years old.
Jerricka also served as a mentor and coordinated projects such as: Neighbor to
Neighbor and Heifer International. She also procured motivational speakers
including Nequetta Alford, MBA, NCAA baseball coach and great friend of Torii
Hunter, Carlos James, and
Sgt. Yohance Brunson from the Jefferson
County Sheriff's Department, Tri-County Drug Task Force. In addition, Jerricka coordinated a fun day for
the campers which included Sgt. Ray Faucette from the Army National Guard, who
set up rock-wall for the kids, and Lt. Harold Clark from the Pine Bluff Fire
Department that brought the smoke house and educated the kids on fire
safety.

As a self-esteem motivational
activity Jerricka introduced the students to a program founded in Dallas,
entitled “The Person I Choose to Be” where all campers created vision boards.
The vision board serves as a visual reminder of possibilities of ones’ dreams
and goals.
The culmination of a great summer was
The Grand Finale Production which included the children teaching
the audience “hello” in ten different languages, mini drum-lime, the lost art
tap dancing to the A-train,
Ball Room
dancing to Michael Jacksons “Butterfly”, Poetry by Maya Angelou, spoken-word by
Ronni the Poet, Praise Dancing and Singing.
In
addition, The Grand Finale Production
included an Art Gallery displaying art projects completed over nine weeks
including; self- image drawings, building homes out of milk cartons, vision
boards, and paintings all created by the summer program children/up and coming
artist!

The community received the entire program, including
The Grand Finale with extreme pride! “Many
parents mentioned that out all the other camps that their children had
participated in “Arts in Motion Summer Enrichment Program” was the most
cultural and exposed their children to new concepts.” Kelly stated, noting the
overall success of the event.
The anticipation of summer 2013 promises of full summer of
intellectual enhancement for the students, more field trips to enrich learning
and a bigger and better, event more exciting Grand Finale.
Odyssey Concierge and Team Hunter are proud to have been an
integral part of such an inspiring summer program.
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