Dillon Youth asks City Council to improve Harmon Field

Dillon Youth asks City Council to improve Harmon Field

The Dillon County HYPE Team
The HYPE Team on the steps of City Hall after they advocated to City Council for park improvement

A group of young changemakers at the Dillon County Girls and Boys Youth Center in the City of Dillon have sparked significant improvements in a local park and influenced elected officials to address other outdoor community amenities. Through the Healthy Young People Empowerment (HYPE) Project, youth learned how to assess their community, advocate for change and make Harmon Field a destination for everyone.

In 1924, Harmon Field was given to the City of Dillon and “dedicated forever to the plays of children, the development of youth, and the recreation of all.” The dedication plaque speaks volumes about the intentions of the HYPE team’s civic action project – reinvigorate Harmon Field for everyone.

“We had been taking the kids to a park, not far from us, and the park had to have had the same equipment as I had when I was a child,” says Annie Smith, Dillon County Girls and Boys Youth Center and HYPE Advisor. “The only people that would use the park were our kids (Youth Center) and maybe a few more kids you might see, but everything was dilapidated. It was just terrible.”

As a HYPE advisor, Smith’s responsibility is to lead the youth through the HYPE curriculum and help them learn the process of choosing and implementing a civic action project focused on healthy eating or active living. Once the HYPE team understood what they were doing, they quickly knew they wanted to make Harmon Field a more comfortable and safer place to spend time outdoors.

They used their HYPE grant funds to paint benches, but they had their site set on something bigger, something huge, something that required a lot of courage and determination. They wanted the City Council to devote some of its budget to improvements that would help get Harmon Field back on a path to greatness.

girl using water fountain
A HYPE team member demonstrates the new working water fountain at Harmon Field.

Speaking on behalf of the HYPE team, Smith says, “Our main concern was water. There was no water fountain for the kids. There was no water fountain for anyone. There’s a walking trail there, so you know people will get thirsty while walking. And there is no bathroom.”

Backing Up Their Big Idea

Although the youth knew what they wanted to do, they still needed to collect data and information supporting the need for improvements. They had to assess the park to determine exactly what was missing. Then, they had to get the community’s opinion on the park. While some HYPE teams may choose to conduct a survey, this HYPE team was confident that the community would support their desires. So, they petitioned as many people as they could.

“The kids went to the park on a daily or weekly basis to get signatures from anyone there. They could’ve been students, their parents, their grandparents, anybody in the neighborhood, and visitors,” says Smith. “We have people that visit from out of town. Roland (NC) is right across the border, and I have seen people having a cookout a couple of times. And still, there was no water and no bathroom.”

After collecting around 250 signatures, the HYPE team was ready to approach the City Council. When advocating for something we want, many of us know that we have to be prepared before approaching leaders with a request. Elected officials and decision-makers at all levels want information about the issue, proposed solutions and community support before making any decision. For youth, it took courage to overcome such an intimidating task, to find their voice and speak to elected officials in a public setting.

Advocating to City Council

When advocating for something we want, many of us know that we have to be prepared before approaching leaders with a request. Elected officials and decision-makers at all levels want information about the issue, proposed solutions and community support before making any decision. For youth, it took courage to overcome such an intimidating task, to find their voice and speak to elected officials in a public setting.

new play equipment
The new playground equipment exceeded the team’s expectations.

Smith said about 15 youths attended the council meeting and showed solidarity wearing their HYPE t-shirts. It was their first time attending a City Council meeting for all of them. The HYPE advisors identified one youth who was outspoken and very active on the team to address the City Council.

“We made a folder and passed it out to everybody on the City Council so they would follow along with us as we talked. We showed them pictures of what the park looked like. And at the end, we showed them a convenient bathroom that wasn’t that expensive that they could actually put out there, and the bathroom had a place to put a water fountain in front of it”, says Smith. “We talked about statistics. It was all written down, and they had it so they could see it, visualize it, and see where we were coming from.”

Council members were surprised to hear from youth, a group of citizens who usually don’t speak at meetings or talk about issues or business that may affect them. Several residents complained about the lack of running water at the existing water fountain, but no action was taken. Perhaps that’s why the City Council agreed to fulfill most of the HYPE team’s requests.  

The City Council did not agree to install a bathroom, citing concerns about misuse of the facility, such as potential crime, drug paraphernalia being left behind, lack of staff, and other deterrents.

“We’re going have to keep going back. I understand their concerns, but we’re still going to try to work on them and find a grant that would fund an employee because they desperately need a bathroom.” 

The Proof is In the Pudding

new play equpment
The HYPE Advisors were surprised by the amount of new playground equipment.

Since installing new playground equipment and a water fountain, Smith has noticed an increase in adults and children at the park. They’re staying longer, playing longer, and enjoying the great outdoors. Even teens have been spotted using the walking track.

“I am so excited to go to that park now. They have a water fountain that’s working, and the equipment is beautiful. They put new equipment everywhere. I went to the park twice last week, and there have been so many kids out there playing. It actually made kids come to the park! It’s just beautiful to be sitting in the park now. You’ve got older people coming out there walking their dogs. We’re still excited about what we started.”

The ultimate goal of this HYPE project was to increase physical activity in Harmon Field. While there is evidence of that goal being met, the HYPE team gained an experience they can be proud of. They used their influence and voice to express a desire and a need for community health improvement.

“It’s a good thing for kids to get involved,” says Smith. “It’s something they get to call their own, something they can be proud of. They get a chance to use their input, and we get a chance to listen to them.”

Ava Dean, BSN, MPH, Out the Lifeline: A Mission to Families and HYPE Advisor, added, “I was going to say the same thing, to let them have ownership of it and not to let us as adults come up with the project, but to allow them. Once you allow them to do it and see the final project, they will walk away knowing, ‘Hey, I had something to do with this,’ and they will be proud of that. They will forever have that accomplishment.”

The HYPE team in Dillon indeed started something. The City Council plans to update the playground equipment in all its parks. The City Manager approved Dean and the Tobacco-Free Health Disparities Coalition to place a “Clean Air is Fair” sign to keep the park smoke-free. Smith and Dean have also discussed possible collaboration amongst local coalitions to volunteer and remove graffiti from the park shelter.

So, while the HYPE team certainly had a successful civic action project and learned new leadership and advocacy skills, they have also influenced other groups to answer the question, “What’s next?”  

Getting to know Jamaius White

Getting to know Jamaius White

Jamaius White recently joined the Wholespire staff to oversee The HYPE Project. He will play a major role in the success of the youth engagement program. Let’s get to know Jamaius.

Jamaius White is the manager of The HYPE Project.

Q: What’s your favorite healthy snack?
A: I could eat watermelon every single day!!!

Q: What’s your favorite way to stay active?
A: Lift Heavy Weights!!!

Q: Can you start by telling us a little bit about your educational background and interests?
A: My education is a product of my interest in music and physical activity. In high school, I studied music under the guidance of Mr. Willie E. Lyles at WJ Keenan High School in Columbia. You can find many of his lessons in my actions to this very day. One of the things he would tell us that has stuck with me is ‘Character is who you are when no one is watching.’ Being a percussionist for his music program yielded a great benefit to my development as a health educator. He made sure his students understood the history behind the music being played. That helped us make a connection to the music. That holds true in my work and personal life. We must understand the history behind the things we do in order to have an impact. My tenure in the Health Education Department at SC State University was a humbling, yet, encouraging experience. My vision for physical education matured immensely. 

Q: What attracted you to the position?
A: I was attracted to the position because it gives me the opportunity to work in the health education field but through a different lens. Prior to Wholespire, I worked more from a boots-on-the-ground perspective and now I’m working at an administrative level. One of my true passions is to be an influencer of youth. I believe I can improve the relationship between youth and healthier decision making. The Program Manager position for The HYPE Project allows me to do that. Wholespire is the vehicle that will drive me towards that ultimate goal of getting South Carolina fit.

Q: How would you summarize what you have done so far?  
A: Right now, I’m in the process of fine-tuning the curriculum and all of the tools and processes related to implementing The HYPE Project. I’m getting ready for the next advisors’ training and onboarding the next HYPE teams. Also, I’m preparing to be a presenter at the SCAPHERD conference in November. So, I guess you can say that I’m getting my feet wet. 

Q: What are you looking forward to most with your job?
A: I look forward to developing a system that is sustainable for growth for every organization that creates a HYPE team in their community. My goal is to literally increase advocacy, civic engagement, physical activity and a sense of belonging for youth. I’m looking forward to getting out in our communities and finding out how I can help make that happen through The HYPE Project.

Q:
What do you enjoy most about working here? 
A: Outside of the immeasurable support from staff, I enjoy the immediate inclusion of my thoughts and ideas. The hybrid workspace is ideal for me too. I’m able to create a work schedule that allows me to go to the gym. I don’t have to worry about missing those critical moments in my kids’ lives. I can work virtually from anywhere.  

Q: How do you live out the Wholespire mission?
A: I am all about sustainability in every sector of my life. Coming from a health coach background, I preach creating habits that are sustainable for healthy lifestyles. I own a personal training business and I know the importance of making healthy changes that will last a lifetime. I always tell my clients to choose habits that they can do from now until the end of time. 

Q: What’s one thing people don’t know about you that they would be surprised to find out?
A: I did not participate in organized sports in college. People look at me and ask if I play football all the time, lol. I always laugh and reply “My brother did, I played drums.” I played drums for the Marching 101 Band at SC State University.

Learn more about Jamaius on our website.