WS Chronicle

Guiding Institute for Developmental Education, Inc. (GIDE) celebrated Lights on Afterschool with special guest L’Tona Lamonte, a Winston-Salem State University Women’s Basketball coach and former GIDE student.

GIDE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides after-school and summer programs for students. This year the program relocated to 14th Street Community Center since its former location is now being remodeled into new offices. GIDE holds its activities at 14th Street now, transporting students there by van from Cleveland Avenue Homes, Piedmont Park, Rolling Hills Apartments and Townview Apartments.

“It provides a safe environment for them,” said GIDE Executive Director Bill McClain. “It gives them some assistance if they have academic problems. We provide snacks for them and we take them a lot of places and let them see a lot of things that they ordinarily wouldn’t be able to participate in.”

GIDE’s event last week was one of 8,000 events held nationwide and on U.S. military bases worldwide to bring attention to after-school programs as part of the Afterschool Alliance’s 18th annual Lights on Afterschool. Afterschool Alliance is a national nonprofit that advocates for after school programs and McClain has served as an ambassador for the organization.

As part of last Thursday’s event, on Oct. 26, Lamonte shared her story with the nearly 100 students in attendance. She told them she grew up in Piedmont Park and her family was on government assistance. She said it was GIDE taking her to her first basketball camp at Camp Hanes that helped her realize more was out there.

“Even when you feel like you have nothing, there’s so much inside of you,” she said.

She said she eventually focused on sports and getting her education. She described attending WSSU as the best thing that happened to her. She was glad she decided to come back to the university as coach so she could help out at places like Piedmont Park, where her team recently helped deliver food.

“Probably the best decision of my career was coming home,” said an emotional Lamonte.

GIDE regularly uses educators as tutors who, last Thursday, led a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) project and a Read-A-Thon for older students as the younger children enjoyed a dramatic Bible lesson given by Kidz Xtreme’s Jackie Pegram. Winston-Salem Fellows, which provides college graduates as mentors for GIDE, also participated.

McClain said he’s grateful to the city for providing the space for the program. GIDE is currently funded through grants from Goodwill Industries, Piedmont Federal Savings Bank, BB&T Bank and the Rotary Club of Clemmons.