Community Services’ Youth Rally features UW school supplies, life skills sessions, Christian rappers
With a face beaming with a big grin, Rayneka Capers leans sideways to show off her brand new backpack. It’s bright pink – really pink – and the St. Rose 10-year-old couldn’t be happier with her new bag for school, which she had just received from the United Way of St. Charles. The giveaway was part of this year’s annual Youth Rally held Saturday at the Edward A. Dufresne Center in Luling.
Capers was among more than 700 children in St. Charles Parish who received free school supplies from the UW, which merged its giveaway to the rally this year.
“It’s very important,” said the child’s mother, Precious Walker. “It’s healthy for the youths … the children need this.”
Walker said the rally’s positive message to children is welcomed and the free school supplies are also important to her with four children, age 5 to 18.
The parish’s Department of Community Services hosts the annual Youth Rally, which featured the giveaway along with speakers, break-out sessions geared to the importance of education, bullying, social media and conflict resolution. There were also activities, door prizes, free food and performances by special musical guests that included Christian rappers.
Youth Rally sponsors also included St. Charles Parish, the Sheriff’s Office, Alpha Daughters of Zion, Blessed to be a Blessing and St. Charles Parish Public Schools.
“We mobilized this community around a common theme and it was a tremendous success,” said Community Services Director Joan Diaz. “We modeled good behavior there – we showed good team work.”
Diaz estimated more than 800 people – children and parents – attended the rally, making it the largest turnout in the event’s three-year history.
“We’ve seen progressive growth in the event,” she said. In its first year, the rally drew around 350 people.
Calling the event a tremendous success, Diaz said it included a parent workshop and a reading resource room with a storyteller with the St. Charles Public Library, as well as a ‘Making Positive Choices’ workroom that drew more than 200 children for middle school students and older. This session was done in partnership with Sandra Washington with the Youth Empowerment Project.
Diaz said the event was merged with the school supplies giveaway in that children were required to attend at least two of the three break-out sessions to get the supplies.
Themed, “Making Positive Choices in the Game of Life” offered fun lessons in coping skills with bullying and social media, she said.
“I think it was very successful,” Diaz said. We had to start setting some standards and building the skills that children need.”
Additionally, the event featured door prizes that included electronics like tablets, printers, earphones and two laptop computers that were donated by community partners.
Outside the community center, attendees had their choice of free food, games and activities.
“I think it’s a food example of how great things can happen when all of the community stakeholders work together for a common goal,” Diaz said. “I think we had a tremendous impact on this community, and a positive impact with the parents with the resources they need socially and emotionally to cope with life. We kind of had that balance and I think that’s what makes this event unique.”
For 9-year-old Aylin Alvarez, the day was fun-filled activities.
“You get to dance,” said Alvarez, who had just slung her backpack over her shoulders, too. “I like the band and games.”
For the child’s mother, Amy Alvarez of Luling, the day was about showing her daughter an event focused on children and what was possible when the community worked together.
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