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Jackson summer camp emphasizes health, wellness

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Operation Shoestring’s summer camp for Jackson kids emphasizes health, wellness

Operation Shoestring has been providing after school and summer activities to in for decadesย  โ€“ but this year, they’re doing things a bit differently.

The new undertaking is called โ€œProject Rise,โ€ and activities focused on physical and mental health are peppered throughout the summer. That includes integrating conversations about wellness into camp activities such as academic enrichment, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities, outdoor , swim classes and mentoring programs.

This year’s camp is serving about 125 third through fifth graders over a six-week period โ€“ of charge.

Its programs during the summer and school year support kids in the Jackson Public School system and metro area. Students in Jackson are mostly from low-income families of color: 95% of students are Black, and 73.8% of students are on free or reduced lunch.ย 

For Laquinta Williams, the camp has been a tremendous help for her family. Williams is a single working mother of Markeem and Akirahs, students at Walton Elementary School who also attend Operation Shoestring’s summer programs.ย 

She believes the summer programming is especially important for her son Markeem, whose father recently passed away.ย 

โ€œHe likes to talk to them, and he doesn’t usually like to talk to people,โ€ she said of the camp staffers. โ€œHe feels comfortable with them.โ€ย 

She also said the camp helps her to be able to work.

โ€œIt’s a lot of money raising children with no help,โ€ she said. โ€œ โ€ฆ We appreciate everything. This is the best service we have had hands down. They even offer us breakfast when we drop our kids off.โ€ย 

Supporting children is difficult to do alone, she said, and in past summers she’s paid for other summer camps and activities. The free activities at Operation Shoestring mean she doesn’t have that extra expense this year.ย 

ย 

Students from Operation Shoestring listen to instruction before completing an exercise about mindfulness during Self Expression Camp at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Ridgeland, Miss., Monday, June 13, 2022.

Robert Langford, executive director of Operation Shoestring, said that the pressures that the COVID-19 pandemic had on communities of color, compounded by the immense stress caused by the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery in 2020 and the ensuing social justice movement, created an urgent need within families across the country โ€“ especially in the Jackson community.ย 

Recent research shows that young people’s depressive and anxiety symptoms have doubled during the pandemic, with 25% of youth experiencing depressive symptoms and 20% experiencing anxiety symptoms.ย 

Suicide rates among Black children were increasing even before the pandemic, and Black children are now almost twice as likely to die by suicide than white children, according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory. And children from low-income families are two to three times more likely to develop mental health disorders than those who are from higher income families โ€“ a startling statistic for a like Mississippi, where around 30% of its children are poor.

To respond to the need for mental health support, Operation Shoestring weaves โ€œpositive, affirming languageโ€ into its classrooms and activities, as well as focusing on physical health and wellness, Langford said.ย 

The organization has partnered with a dietitian from the to illustrate the importance of nutrition in overall wellness, such as conducting cooking and nutrition classes and creating healthy recipes.ย 

Kids at camp will also partake in a baking class at Urban Foxes, a local family-owned pie shop.ย 

Langford said that Operation Shoestring values being able to provide students the ability to explore outdoor spaces, which they do through partnerships with St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and the Pearl Keepers, an organization that works to protect the biodiversity of the Pearl River through cleanups and testing and monitoring.ย 

At St. Andrew’s, students are encouraged to engage in different activities, such as basketball, soccer or wellness classes.ย 

During a wellness class on Monday, Lauren Powell, the school’s director of wellness and upper school counselor, had the children reflect on what it means to practice wellness and to be mindful โ€“ laughter, physical activity, dancing and positive affirmations. Students then created a drawing that incorporated five to six positive characteristics about themselves, such as brave, curious, intelligent and kind.ย 

Lauren Powell, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School’s upper class school counselor and director of wellness, left, helps Operation Shoestring students with a mindfulness exercise during Self Expression Camp at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Ridgeland, Miss., Monday, June 13, 2022.

Students enjoy doing the cupid shuffle and other dances to wake themselves up and get ready before any other activities, she said, and the dances set the tone for the campers to be more self-expressive.ย 

Powell said she enjoys working with this age group because they’re able to express their emotions without embarrassment.ย 

When asked how to deal with children who may from different backgrounds, Powell explained that St. Andrew’s employs something called โ€œasset framing,โ€ a way of enabling children to first be defined by their assets and aspirations before their challenges or deficits.ย 

โ€œThese kids come from very rich cultures, and very, very rich family traditions,โ€ she said.ย 

Operation Shoestring is also continuing its tradition of offering support to campers’ parents. It provided cash support to families in need during the height of the pandemic and is now hosting two separate support group sessions for parents, one in Cultivation Food Hall and the other in the Ecoshed.ย ย 

โ€œWe really are about figuring out how we can build a world that is equitable for everybody. And we have a special responsibility in Mississippi because of our past to do what we can with what we have where we are,โ€ said Langford. โ€œSo we see ourselves as an organization, as a place to provide direct services and to broker relationships with other people for building a healthier, more just, more compassionate world.โ€ย 

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Cloudy and humid weekend – Home – WCBI TV

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www.wcbi.com – Sadie Morris – 2024-11-02 10:13:00

SUMMARY: In Columbus, Mississippi, humid and cloudy weather is expected, with temperatures remaining above average in the lower 80s for the upcoming . Rain is forecasted for Election Day on Tuesday, continuing into the week with isolated showers likely. This Saturday will see patchy fog in the morning, clearing by midday, with a high around 80 degrees. Sunday will bring similar humidity, with a high in the lower 80s and mild overnight lows in the mid-60s. Throughout the week, expect persistent clouds and humidity alongside mild temperatures.

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Mississippi News

Sports Zone Saturday: A must-win weekend for Mississippi's college football teams

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www.wjtv.com – Blake Levine – 2024-11-02 09:43:00

SUMMARY: College football is back in Mississippi for the 2024 season, with a lineup of exciting this Saturday. The Zone team will provide special coverage from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on . Notable matchups include No. 19 visiting Arkansas at 11:00 a.m. CT on ESPN, while Mississippi celebrates Homecoming against UMass at 3:15 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. State UAPB for their Homecoming at 2:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+, and Alcorn State travels to face Alabama State at 4:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+. Southern Miss has a bye .

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Mississippi News

Danver’s celebrates forty seven years of continued success

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www.wcbi.com – Allie Martin – 2024-11-01 19:01:00

SUMMARY: Danver’s restaurant in , Mississippi, recently celebrated its 47th anniversary, maintaining a loyal customer base since its opening in 1977. General Larry Wade, who started as a cook, emphasized the restaurant’s focus on consistency, quality, and customer service. Despite economic challenges, Danver’s has thrived due to its enduring values and community connections, which patrons appreciate. Regular customers, like Tom Robinson, value the reasonable prices and consistent quality. The restaurant aims to continue this legacy, looking forward to its 50th anniversary in three years as it remains a cherished community staple.

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