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The Sarah Wise Wooten Young Ladies Academy (SWWYLA) held its December workshop on December 5, 2020 virtually. December’s workshop was all about the importance of giving back and paying it forward. The young ladies were led through an energetic interactive icebreaker using virtual tools such as Kahoot and Mentimeter. Participants were asked a series of questions and participants were able to view responses on the screen and have a positive dialogue.
Afterwards, the SWWYLA chairmen explained that for this month’s activity, they would be responsible for selecting items to give to women and children residing at Shepard’s Cove shelter located in Prince George’s County. Participants were assigned to breakout zooms with SWWYLA committee members to identify items from Walmart, Amazon and Target to purchase for the residents. The girls received a budget of $100 to spend. They worked diligently to find items that the residents would be able to utilize. The girls purchased toys, socks, disposable masks, blankets, water, healthy snacks, and toiletries.
After the girls selected their items to purchase, they returned to the main room to present their list and if they stayed within their given budget. The girls had a great dialogue around budgeting as they were not able to get everything they wanted for the residents at the shelter. The girls thoroughly enjoyed the workshop. It fostered participation and teamwork. At the end of the workshop, one of the participants recited the SWWYLA D.R.E.A.M Girl Pledge. This pledge was created to inspire, foster positivity, uplift them in times of sadness and affirm their beliefs and values.