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10-year-old helps get grant for youth activities at Pearl Bailey Library

For Kids Only Committee founded

Walking by a meeting of teens at Pearl Bailey Library this fall, 10-year-old Destiny Arianna Williams became interested.

Walking by a meeting of teens at Pearl Bailey Library this fall, 10-year-old Destiny Arianna Williams became interested.

“They were talking about important things, how they feel, and talking about upcoming events … and they were playing charades,” said the fifth-grader at An Achievable Dream school.

That meeting of the Library’s Teen Advisory Committee gave Destiny an idea. “Teens have one, and I know that kids want to have fun, too. If they just sit here with a book or journal alone, that’s not fun,” she said.

So Destiny presented her ideas – in writing – to Sonya Scott, senior youth information services specialist at Pearl Bailey Library, which is located in Newport News’ Southeast Community.

 In 2008, youth services staff at the Library developed the Teen Advisory Committee (TAC) as a way for teens to provide recommendations on policies, programs and materials for teens. It has grown into a group of about 20 teens who gather monthly and helped develop the Chill Spot, weekly activities developed by and for teens that have transformed Pearl Bailey Library into a safe haven for teens.

“When we saw Destiny’s list of demands, we just looked at each other and said, ‘We need a Youth Advisory Committee’,” said Demetria Tucker, senior family and youth services librarian at Pearl Bailey Library. “They felt sort of neglected. She tells us, ‘I want the same thing that you had for TAC’.”

Destiny helped get funding for books, games and other materials for the youth at the Library. The Friends of the Newport News Public Library donated $250, and the Warwick Rotary Club donated $250. A matching grant from the District 7600 Rotary Club brought the total to $1,000.

And now Destiny presides over the monthly meetings of the FKO (For Kids Only) Youth Advisory Committee. With about 12-15 children ages 6-11, the group has elected officers and follows formal procedures for meeting, with help from Scott, Tucker and Joy Jackson, youth outreach specialist for the Newport News Public Library System.

“At the meetings, we introduce ourselves and talk about the rules and upcoming events,” Destiny said. “We have our “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” book club, snacks, events like Learning on Laptops, and celebrate birthdays.”

Members of the committee, including Lajaune Ellis, age 8, and Neajah Ellis, age 7, say they are having fun.  

Destiny takes her position as president of the group very seriously. “She tells everyone that she is a part of the Bailey staff,” Tucker said. “We have  explain to the other kids that she is just the president of the FKOs.”

Destiny and her vice president and older sister, Lazarreia Gholston, 11, are finding that leading the group of children also involves some work, which is paying off.

“They have better attitudes and better relationship with Ms. T and Ms. Sonya,” Destiny said. They’re getting better with their behavior and getting more knowledge. I like when kids get more knowledge.”

And Library staff and leaders like the changes, too, which are going beyond Destiny’s ideas of just having fun activities for the kids.

“The kids are learning leadership skills,” said Izabela M. Cieszynski, director of the Newport News Public Library System. “Destiny represents those skills that we want kids to develop and the knowledge to succeed.”

Tucker sees the FKO committee as a way to prepare the children for taking on leadership roles in the teen committee, as well as benefits for all the Library youth. “It’s really helping us to continue to promote and encourage a love of the Library – that warm and fuzzy feeling for the Library. They feel, ‘The Library helps me.’  And it helps us plan what types of games and books they need.”

It’s also improved the relationship between the younger children and teens, she said. “The best thing is when the kids learn from each other,” Tucker said. “At first the teens thought the younger kids were a nuisance. But when they saw that Destiny could receive the money from the Rotary, they were most impressed. When they actually saw the check, they had another level of respect for her.”

The teens now help with the children’s meetings and activities, walking them to the activities at the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center, teaching them how to use the laptop computers and more. Destiny refers to them as “my teens,” greets them with hugs and invites them to the youth group activities. And the kids elected one helpful teen, Sierra Hamilton, to serve as a teen advisor to the group. “It’s fun. I felt welcomed here,” said Hamilton, a newcomer to the area.

Tucker sees benefits for the teens, as well. “They enjoy it, too, as a way to give back to the community,” Tucker said of their involvement with the younger children. “It’s funny to hear the teens say that Destiny’s going to take over as the future president of TAC.”

For now, though, Destiny’s looking toward the more immediate future. “I’m trying to plan for field trips and for us to pick up trash for Earth Day,” she said. Library staff plan to use the grant money to help develop a youth center at the Library.

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