WS Chronicle

By FELECIA PIGGOTT-LONG, PH.D. 

The Children’s Farm Project piloted a special needs summer youth camp during two sessions, July 14-17 and July 28-31, at Alpha and Omega Church of Faith. Special needs children, along with students from the regular population, participated in classes such as arts and crafts, music and movement, gardening and water play. The half-day program was held from 8 a.m. until noon and included breakfast and lunch. Each of the special-needs students was required to be accompanied by a caregiver 18 years of age or older. 

 “We are building the Children’s Farm Project in Summerton, South Carolina, on 15 acres of property on Lilly Martin Road. The purpose of the Children’s Farm is to teach farming skills in a fun and inclusive environment to special needs children and their families, to create economic opportunities for the special needs community, and to help improve their lives through our programs and classes,” said Belva Marlin, executive director.  

“What we are doing benefits special needs adults and special needs children. We envision a training center with indoor and outdoor classrooms. The children will learn entrepreneurship, cooking and farming.” 

Marlin was pleased with the pilot program this summer. The camp housed a diverse group of students – special needs students as well as regular learners. 

“I decided to pilot the program at Alpha and Omega Church of Faith. We do not have a building in Summerton yet, so Winston-Salem was the best place to house the program,” said Marlin. “We wanted to expose them to an experimental learning museum to inspire wonder and curiosity and lifelong learning.” 

During the second week of the program, the students were in the community visiting such field sites as Kaleideum, the children’s museum and science center, and Reynolda House. The goal was to have no more than eight students each session. The camp was free to all students. 

Marlin is a graduate of Winston-Salem State University where she majored in intermediate education with a concentration in social studies and language arts. She taught in the Guilford County School System for 10 years, focusing on grades 3, 4, and 6. She won the North Carolina Technology Educator Award in 1992. Marlin’s teaching license also includes a concentration in reading from Gardner-Webb University. Now a retired teacher, Marlin still has a love of teaching. 

Remona Brooks is a member of the board of directors for the Children’s Farm. Brooks is the coordinator for Family, Friends and Neighbors Childcare Resource Center, which serves nine counties. Brooks offered accolades to the program and the visionary. 

“This is a great vision that Belva Marlin has and we want to support it. There is a great need for programs for children with special needs. Inclusion is good, and differences can mean strength,” said Brooks. “Pastor Belva Williams Fair would applaud this venture. She, too, was a trailblazer. Dr, Piggott-Anderson also supports this trailblazer instinct.” 

Eugenia Smith assisted with the teaching and also served as a caregiver for her grandson. “The program was outstanding. It gave me hope to see the joy on the children’s faces while they were engaged in their lessons and activities. It was a lot of fun,” said Smith. 

Volunteers for the summer youth camp included Eugenia Smith, Andrew Fleming, Counselor Glinda Johnson, Mozzetta Lawson, Teresa Bailey, Dr. Anderson, Joan Ruffin, and Kevin Chance. 

“We need more summer camps that highlight the needs of exceptional children, inclusion, and heterogeneous grouping. The love of teaching and learning are special gifts that Belva Marlin possesses and delivers to others. I commend her vision and support it,” said the pastor. 

Other members of the board of directors include Maria Wilson Tate, Evon Brown, Nancy Holmes, Anthony Lawson, Gail Horton Blair, Brittany Moser, Latoya Robinson, and Gillet Wright.