Hawks Nest Takeover turns out to be a success with children and adults being together to play games like air hockey. PN Photo/ Jalayna Pough.
By Jalayna Pough
In a dynamic collaboration, the Braves Foundation and Community and Civic Engagement orchestrated an exciting evening for local children during the “Hawks Nest Takeover”. The event showcased a myriad of volunteers, civic engagement leaders, and prospective mentors. This event united the community in a shared commitment to fostering positive experiences for the youth.
The event marked the commencement of the Braves Foundation mentoring year program, providing an avenue for college students to establish connections with local youth while serving as role models to lay the groundwork for higher learning.
The event took place at the Student Center’s Hawks Nest on Jan. 22. It featured the Braves Foundation and dedicated volunteers such as Maddie Williams and Kacia Grant.
The foundation embodies principles that aim to enhance connections between UNCP and our local community, where a shared bond and a genuine passion for learning, critical thinking, and proactive engagement are at the core.
“The reason that I volunteer is because I identify with these children since I used to be one of them,” said Kacia Grant a senior majoring in biology.
The “Hawks Nest Takeover” organized by the Braves Foundation, aimed to facilitate the integration of potential college student mentors. Each game station featured two mentors assigned to host children in their respective sections, creating a dynamic environment where everyone could freely walk around, mingle, and interact in any section they desired.
“This event is a kick-off to a mentoring year,” Grant said.
The Braves Foundation introduces a yearlong mentorship program that convenes every Monday and Wednesday. The program gathers and departs from the CARE Resource Center at 3 p.m.
“This is my first time volunteering however, it allows me to do more stuff and step out of my comfort zone,” said Maddie Williams a freshman majoring in Elementary Education. “I am volunteering, so that it would help further my career.”
The Braves Foundation collaborated with the Pembroke Housing Authority, an organization dedicated to offering suitable, secure, and hygienic housing to low-income residents of Pembroke and its neighboring areas through the public housing program. The President of the Braves Foundation Gabriel Moreno was at the event to volunteer and make sure everything went smoothly for the kids.
“I was once a kid in a mentoring program, so I know how it feels,” said Gabriel Moreno a junior majoring in Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and Braves Foundation President.
The mentoring program aims to offer numerous children the chance to engage with college students by enhancing their comprehension of how a fundamental education can open doors to additional opportunities in their lives.
“This event was a kick-start to the year to make people more aware of mentoring opportunities,” Moreno said.