Students' Day of Service honors King

Scholars from Winston-Salem State, Salem College and Wake Forest united on Wake Forest's campus for the 4th  annual MLK Day of Service on Jan. 18.
The event was hosted by HandsOn Northwest North Carolina, an organization that promotes nonprofits and volunteer service.
"The purpose of this event is to celebrate King's legacy of service, literacy and education," said Amy Lytle, executive director of HandsOn NWNC.
Approximately 50 children between the ages of 4 and 10 were paired with 70 college student volunteers. Children were guided to various stations throughout the day.  
Lytle said despite the snowfall in the Triad area two days earlier, she was pleased with the turnout. She said that this event encouraged intergenerational interaction and learning.
"For some of these kids, it might be their first time on a college campus, so that hopefully will instill in them a love of reading, service and the idea of making a difference even at a young age."
Children visited 13 different activity stations, which included: a dreams station where they could write their dreams on a cloud; a reading station that permitted children to take home books of their choice; and, a fire safety station.  The Winston-Salem Fire Department helped with this station.
Some students helped with the event for the first time. WSSU student, Akinyele Cameron, junior computer graphics major from Holly Springs, N.C. , said that Chelii Broussard gave her that extra push to participate in the service day.
Broussard is the marketing and promotions coordinator for student activities.
"Chelii called me into her office and said I had to do it," Cameron said.
Assisted by two other WSSU students, Cameron helped as a student advisory board member while serving as a liaison for other WSSU student volunteers. Cameron, who is familiar with volunteer service projects, took the initiative to recruit volunteers on campus. She said that this event was a great chance to interact and learn.
"I just want them [the children] to express themselves creatively and never lose that," Cameron said.
"Also I want them to understand the importance of literacy and what Martin Luther King's values were."
WSSU student Christopher Jeter, a junior sports management major from Newport News, Va. volunteered for the first time as well.
"I feel that this event was a perfect 10 because the kids were able to get hands-on experience with learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and the initiatives he stood for," Jeter said.
"My favorite part about the day was just seeing the kids have fun at the stations and seeing them learn not only who Dr. King was but also what he was about."
Dawn Swinnie, senior marketing major from High Point, has participated in this event for the second year.
While Swinnie said that this event is a perfect opportunity to be a mentor for a child, she said that there is an important underlying meaning to the service day.
"I want them [the children] to walk away knowing the importance of MLK Day, education and appreciate what our ancestors did to provide for us."