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Summer 2024 - Special Youth Edition

Your Rocky Mount Housing Authority
Residents' Newsletter
P O Box 4717
Rocky Mount, NC 27803
RMHA Website is Located at www.rm-ha.org

RMHA Looking Ahead

Finding a Balance for Online Usage
Social media is here to stay. Managing our young people as they traverse the different online platforms available to them can be a daunting task, however. It therefore becomes imperative that parents, teachers, and any involved adult take a balanced view if we want to help our young people use these platforms in healthier ways. Social media provides a lot of opportunities for young people to discover new information, learn about current events, engage with issues, and have their voices heard. It gives young users an opportunity to explore their identities, which is an important task of the adolescent years. However, there's no doubt that adults should monitor kids' social media use closely, especially in early adolescence, between the ages of 10 and 14 or so. As kids become more mature and develop digital literacy skills, they can earn more autonomy. Parents should talk to kids often about social media and technology and also use strategies like limiting the amount of time kids can use devices and removing devices from the bedroom at night. Caregivers should also keep an eye out for problematic behaviors, such as strong cravings to use social media, an inability to stop, and lying or sneaking around in order to use devices when they aren't allowed. Parents should focus on encouraging kids to spend time with other activities they find valuable, such as movement and art activities they enjoy. When kids are spending more time on those things, they're less likely to be stuck on social media. Let's ensure our RMHA youth have an online safety net at home, at school, and when they're out and about in the community.

(Reference: The American Psychological Association; Vol 54, No. 6; September 2023)

RMHA Summer Nutrition and Summer Camps

Camp KABOOM
From June 10th to August 8th, campers in the West End Terrace community were privy to a flurry of activities and events from community partners who wanted to make their summer camp experience unforgettable! The Edgecombe County Public School's (ECPS) Summer Feeding Program partnered with the Down East Partnership for Children (DEPC) to ensure that the campers received a balanced breakfast and lunch during each camp day. This year, it was Camp Kaboom that hosted the end-of-the-camp's Vacation Bible School week facilitated by The Rise Church youth pastor and their youth volunteers and staff. Take a look at the various visits from our much-appreciated community partners below.

Campers meeting with Ms. Meagan Eatmon - Owner of The Village of Help.
Above, campers received a visit from Ms. Meagan Eatmon (front, center), owner of The Village of Help - an area non-profit that provides therapeutic and enrichment opportunities via the arts.

Campers on a field trip at The Rocky Mount Mills.
Above, campers take a learning and development field trip to The Rocky Mount Mills to become knowledgeable about Negro League Baseball.

Edgecombe County Food and Nutrition Program personnelwith campers.
Natema Drummond, Edgecombe County Food and Nutrition Program personnel spent time with campers where they prepared healthy snacks and created nutritional art memorabilia.

A group of campers having fun.
Having in-house fun, fun, fun!

Camp WAH-WAH
On the other side of town, The Weeks Armstrong Community was not to be outdone. RMHA youth attended this 2024 Camp Wah-Wah in record numbers. They too were fortunate to have a plethora of community support from area agencies and non-profits that filled their camp time with learning and development activities while providing fun-filled, interactive environments from week to week.

A line of kids in front of a fire truck.

A little boy holding a water hose with help from a member of the Rocky Mount Fire Department.
Opening Day at Camp Wah-Wah welcomed a visit from from Station 1 in Rocky Mount. Campers loved the education and attention they received.

Some kids sitting on the back of a fire truck.

Some kids sitting at a table with their fun buckets.
Campers eagerly awaiting the contents for their fun buckets.

Groups of kids outside playing ball.
During their summer camp experience, both Weeks Armstrong and West End Terrace campers had the opportunity to attend the Buck Leonard Association for Sports and Human Enrichment Museum and Ball Diamond.

RMHA Special Events

Way to Go!! 2024 Graduates
This graduation season, once again, brought about a wonderful opportunity for graduates to meet collaborators, young budding prospects to meet seasoned business professionals, and goal seekers to meet employment and educational specialists. It all made for a wonderful and productive occasion. Below are pictures of the community partners that came together to give our graduates a day to remember.

Parents, community partners, and city officials waiting on graduates.
Parents, Community Partners and City Officials await graduates.

Commissioner Pittman speaking.
Commissioner Pittman Speaks.

Mayor Sandy Roberson Addressing the assembly.
Mayor Sandy Roberson address assembly.

A line of graduates sitting behind some tables.
Graduates proudly adorn their regalia and cords.

Mrs. Barnes-Gray represents DEPC.
Mrs. Barnes-Gray representing DEPC.

Dr. Greg McLeod from the Edgecombe Community College.
Dr. Greg McLeod continues to represent Edgecombe Community College at RMHA's annual graduation events which provides him an opportunity to welcome those graduates who have already made a commitment to attend ECC and to encourage the undecided.

Male 2024 graduate.

A couple people standing next to a graduate behind a podium.

A man standing next to one of the 2024 graduates.

A person behind the podium speaking.

A graduate speaking at the podium.

A speaker at the 2024 graduation ceremony.

A smiling person standing behind the podium.

RMHA Building Youth Programs

RYSE Reaching Youth - Supporting Excellence.
RYSE youth visit St. Augustine University in Raleigh.

RYSE youth visit the NC Museum of History.
Above, the fourth cohort of RYSE youth visits St. Augustine University in Raleigh and the NC Museum of History.

Below, they tour the campus of Shaw University, visit the NC Museum of Science and have lunch and their program completion ceremony at The Bahama Breeze. RYSE was created to help RMHA's public housing youth and youth in surrounding communities succeed on various levels of learning and development.
The kids at their program completion ceremony.

The kids tour the campus of Shaw University.

The kids visit the NC Museum of Science.

The kids have lunch at the Bahama Breeze.

RMHA Summer Partnerships

Youth VBS Group Returns for Another Summer
RMHA Welcomes RISE CHURCH for one week of Vacation Bible School at West End Terrace

RMHA Welcomes Rise Church.

Youth VBS Group Returns for a Summer program.

Kids having fun at VBS.

West End Terrace kids at VBS.

Residents participating in one week of Vacation Bible School.

RMHA Partnerships

Cops, Crayons, and Cupcakes - RMHA Welcomes RMPD
RMHA's Resident Services team invited the Community Engagement component of the Rocky Mount Police Department into Camp Kaboom in the West End Terrace community where they engaged the campers in a fun-filled hour of community relations and conversations about policing in the neighborhood while partnering around art projects. Everyone then enjoyed delicious cupcakes!

RMHA’s Resident Services team invited the Community Engagement component of the Rocky Mount Police Department into Camp Kaboom.

RMHA’s Resident Services team with the Rocky Mount Police Department.

Officer of the Rocky Mount Police Department.

RMHA Announcements/Upcoming Events

  • After-school RYSE Programming - Mid to Late October 2024
    RMHA will make available an afternoon social skill-building program geared to involve community youth in sessions that will incorporate counseling, mentoring, and cognitive behavior. Also, there will be a leadership and academic learning and development components. Sessions will occur at the Hyman Battle Community Center in the West End Terrace community. Call 252.985.4130 for additional information.
  • Community Fall Festival - October 18th from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
    Councilman TJ Walker will partner with the RMHA's Resident Services team to bring to the West End Terrace community at Aycock Park a Community Fall Festival. Join us on Friday, October 18th from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM for loads of information sharing, community resource connections, and fun, fun, fun! Everything's FREE!!
  • Community Hallelujah Fest - October 27th from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
    The Greater Love Christian Community Church will hold a drive-thru Trunk-of-Treats on Sunday, October 27th from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM in the Weeks Armstrong Homes community in the parking area of the Community Center on Pinehurst Drive. Free food and giveaways!
  • After-school Tutorial
    Rocky Mount Housing Authority will be accepting registration for students, grades 5 through 12 to enter into the R.Y.S.E. Program (Reaching Youth - Seeking Excellence). R.Y.S.E. will Partner with our neighboring schools on the Edgecombe County side of the city to work with youth in a twice per week tutorial program and twice per week in a social and emotional program where students will become better decision makers, learn to manage their behaviors and become better at building and maintaining good relationships. Call 252.985.4130 or email jharper@rm-ha.org for more information.

Mr. Kelvin Macklin, CEO

RMHA Contact Numbers

RMHA Board of Commissioners:

  • Lea Henry, Chairman
  • Tysheeda Cherry
  • Benton Moss
  • Ted Lord
  • Tarrick Pittman

RMHA Newsletter:

  • Editor: Jerry Harper
  • Assistant Editor: Teresa Rhodes
  • Major Photography Provided by RMHA Staff

Articles published in the RMHA Residents' Newsletter do not necessarily represent an endorsement by the Rocky Mount Housing Authority or its Board of Commissioners. We are committed, however, to inform our readers of programs and activities which have a direct or indirect impact on the residents we serve.