ARTICLES

Florida trip rewards students who volunteered time, skills as tutors
By Rita Howell
A group of 17 students
and adults traveled to Orlando,
Fla. last month on
a trip that was a reward
for the students’ volunteer
work with an area literacy
program.
Trinity Educators, a local
non-profit educational
enrichment organization,
sponsors literacy classes in
Charleston and Glendora,
with young people volunteering
their service as tutors.
Students from Batesville,
Charleston, Oakland
and Glendora were trained
as tutors for the program.
To raise funds for this
and other programs sponsored
by Trinity Educators,
the students have worked
in concessions at Ole Miss
throughout the past year.
The concession stand
experience fulfills one of
Trinity’s objectives for its
young members, teaching
entrepreneurial skills and
encouraging work ethics,
according to LaSherry
Irby, Batesville Elementary
School principal and Trinity
volunteer.
Students who had faithful
records of participation
in the concession stand
duty and in the tutoring
program were rewarded
with the trip, Irby said.
The group visited Sea
World to see the Shamu
Whale Show, along with
other educational shows.
The youngsters also exercised
their map skills.
After an introductory
course of bus lines and
map codes, Irby explained,
students were challenged
(with adult chaperons) to
select interest points they
wanted to explore and use
their maps, bus passes,
and digital cameras to tour
the city.
“That was an awsome
opportunity for students
to go to a large city and try
to get around with themselves
as the guide,” Irby
said.
The group flew from
Jackson to Orlando, allowing
several students
the opportunity to fly who
have never flown before.
The trip was financed by
fund-raisers, donations
and parents, Irby said.
Literacy Program
A grant from the Dollar
General Literacy Foundation
has helped fund
Trinity’s literacy program,
which is offered to children
ages 5 through adult.
Adults have the opportunity
to enroll in GED classes
and receive support
throughout the process.
The Dollar General grant
allows Trinity to offer four
hours of tutorial services
to students in the area one
Saturday per month at Williams
Lodge in Charleston
and the Community Park
in Glendora. Participants
are first assessed to be assigned
to a group on their
academic level. Those who
come for tutoring receive a
free book at the end of each
tutorial session. Parents of
students who attend the
tutorial sessions were required
to attend classes on
homework help and ways
to help their child succeed
in school, as one of the
requirements for enrollment.
Trinity has also been
listed in the national directory
of the Dollar General
Literacy Foundation to
offer GED services. Information
on GED services
can be obtained by calling
(662) 609-2798.
Trinity’s email is info@
trinityinc.org. The organization
also has a Facebook

Kids enjoy hatchery tour and fishing trip


By Rita Howell

Attending a tour of the
Enid Lake Fish Hatchery
last month were 78 young
participants in the non-profi t
Trinity Educators youth
initiative program.
The youngsters were
given a guided tour of the
hatchery facilities and a
nature trail walk, according
to LaSherry Irby, one of the
adult volunteers who have
formed Trinity Educators to
serve local youth.
The hatchery normally
doesn’t schedule tours on
Saturdays, Irby said, but staff
members made an exception
in this case and made a
special trip to work on their
day off to guide the tours.
Justin Wilkins, the hatchery’s
manager, was on hand, as
well as Debra Freeman who
guided the tour of the Nature
Trail.
The children also enjoyed
fi shing classes which
consisted of making fi shing
poles/canes and basic casting
techniques.
Clay Taylor, Trinity CEO,
said this was the largest
turnout since the group
began meeting monthly in
February.
Trinityreceivedagrantfrom
the Mississippi Department of
Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
to introduce children ages 10-
18 to a wide range of outdoor
and related activities.
Taylor also said the group
is making plans to extend the
classes, which were originally
set to conclude in May. Taylor
said the extension would
depend on securing more
funding and volunteers.
For more information
about joining the group, or
about volunteering to help,
contact Irby at 563-4166.