Community innovations (CI)
Community innovations (CI)
"Connecting businesses, resources, and families with innovative programs ”
Young Authors
Community Garden
Leadership Awards
Parenting Classes
Mentoring Programs
Storytime wit Ms. Literacy
Christmas Giveaway
Vision
To be a premier nonprofit where a community can gain life skills through innovative programs and find an outlet to grow, meet, interact, and play through community outreach focusing on the four pillars of health, mentoring, education, and parenting.
- Health
- Mentoring
- Education
- Parenting
Website acronym: ccrhck
Colleton County reaching homes & communities with knowledge
Website acronym: ccrhck
Colleton County reaching homes & communities with knowledge
MisSion
Our mission is to create healthier community outcomes for a stronger Colleton County through programs created to promote self-confidence, educational access, neighborhood stability, personal health, mental/social-emotional well-being, and community advocacy with mentoring and empowerment practices.
Community innovations (CI)
CI’s board of directors
&
staff
Heleze Mitchell
Tangela Green
Becky Hill
Jessica Williams
2024-2025
Julie Epple
Angel Parker
Scott Grooms
Shiela Keaise
Jen Smith
Shiela M. Keaise, Executive Director
Jessica Williams, Honorary Director
Jen Smith, Social Media Coordinator
Local legacy
Showcase
Crocheting
Arts & Crafts
Sponsor What You Want to See Your Community!
Sponsor What You Want to See Your Community!
"Connecting businesses, resources, and families with innovative programs ”
Colleton
Dorchester
orangeburg
summerville
beaufort
Hampton
partners
17th
Raising Highly Capable Kids
Raising Highly Capable Kids (RHCK) is a 13-week evidence-based parenting program developed to build stronger families by empowering parents with the confidence, tools, and skills they need to raise healthy, caring, and responsible children. Our program increases parents’ knowledge and skill level of the essential building blocks every child needs — the 40 Developmental Assets from Search Institute, which are proven to increase childhood resiliency and academic achievement.
2024 Colleton Voice Competition
Friday--May 17, 2024
CV Auditions for each school
2 Students from each school due and they will audition:
April 20 (Saturday) 10 am - 12 noon
or
April 25 (Thursday) 3 - 5 pm
We have to narrow down to 2 per age category.
May 17, 2024
Civic Center
Age categories: 5- 8 (Top 2 winners-Little)
9-12 (Top 2 winners-Preteen)
13-18 (Top 2 winners-Teen)
Friday, 6:00 pm
13-20 (Top 2 winners-Mr./Miss
See 2023 Winners: @MsLiteracy3 (Youtube)
www.CCRHCK.org
Preselected Songs or Choice by Contestants
Contestants will compete at CV Competition
and Judges and Tabulator
Cash Prizes for Winners!
Plus Trophy
$10--
General Admission
$5--
Children 6 -12
FREE --Children
5 and under
13-20
2nd ANNUAL
2nd ANNUAL
May 17, 2024
Civic Center
6:00 pm
$10--
General Admission
$5--
Children 6 -12
FREE --Children 5 and under
Authors who came:
Authors who came:
- Madelyne Spann
- Ember Estridge
- LaToya Portal
- Nadine Johnson
- Letesha Wynette
- Jerlean Noble
- Jegadeesh Kumar
- Shiela Martina keaise
- Myra Davis-Branic
- Anna stephens Bright
- Lillie mazcyk
- Jessie Bright Burgess
Proceeds go to the
building blocks library program
Community Family Fun Zone
Literary Tea with Palmetto State Authors
Community Innovations is pleased to present our first Family Carnival. It will be in partnership with the Rice Festival and we will be located on Hampton (the old ford building lot).
At the Family Carnival, we will have games, prizes, and a ticket booth. We need volunteers, prizes, games, equipment, booths, tables, chairs, and tickets. Although we are not serving food, we want to have water to giveaway as needed to our visitors and workers. We will enjoy the fruits of our labor when families from all over come to Community Innovations Family Carnival have fun and win prizes.
We need to promote the Family Carnival through social media, posters, word of mouth, and other marketing channels. Volunteers are needed to work in two and three hour sessions for the two day event (April 26 & 27, 2024).
Community Innovations is excited to present Palmetto State Authors, along with the Literary Writer’s Contest winners, at the Hat and Glove for women, Jackets for men, and cute attire for children event. Building Blocks Library bags (five books by local authors) will be given to ten children that attend. Come hear inspirational stories from Palmetto State authors, meet literary role models, find out the winners of the writers contest, buy signed books, enjoy hors d'oeuvre, taste a variety of tea, buy your favorite tea, plus get a chance to win door prizes.
Judges:
Nadine Johnson (Ages 7 - 12)
Julie Epple (Ages 13 - 17)
Cherry Keaise (Ages 18+)
Young Authors Program
Young Authors’ Mission statement: To create an opportunity for youth to share their gifts and talents through written word and artistic illustrations.
The Young Author Program (YAP) is in partnership with Martina Publishing, a small for profit business. In an effort to give back to the community, YAP is offering youth, ages 12 - 18 an opportunity to share their skills of writing and art. Most youth do not have funds to publish in a book or magazine. While they have a dream of becoming published at a young age, their parents cannot afford this. Some of the most creative ideas come when we are young. Young authors and illustrators will be ready to published with their own manuscript. By allowing schools in Colleton County to select 50 students to participate in this program, two students will be allowed to become published at a discounted price.
The goals of YAP are to
1. Help at least 25 youths (Ages 12-18) write and become a published author and/or illustrator,
2. Offer one on one consulting to three youths from a graphic designer, published author, and professional artist for four months each,
3. Provide employment opportunities to local businesses in the areas of printing, and
4. Advise at least 25 youths how to market their published book.
CI Leadership Awards
Community Innovations (CI) presented our first Colleton Leadership Awards in 2023 with the intent of acknowledging and rewarding three individuals in Colleton County for their outstanding performance, achievements, or contributions and show appreciation for their hard work and the impact they have made in the community. These awards serve as a motivational tool for community members to continue to be productive and promote a better community. By recognizing and appreciating their efforts, Community Innovations seeks to improve Colleton County’s image, encourage loyalty, and increase awareness of CI’s work in the community.
Christmas Giveaway for Seniors
Storytime with Ms. Literacy
Christmas is a time to give and instead of sharing gifts among Community Innovations (CI) Team members, we decided to share it with the community. As children are often the target of gifts during Christmastime, CI decided to give to seniors at the Greenpond Senior Center and Pruitt Health Center and other seniors at-large. Based on the $500 donated by businesses and some board members, CI gave out $10 Walmart Gift Cards to 50 seniors and
Ms. Literacy sang songs, interviewed several seniors, and shared it on her YouTube Channel in 2023 (our very first giveaway).
Ms. Literacy shares stories, motivational speeches, literary games, litter busters program, special needs program, manners boosters, and more at the request of the school or organization. Most of the programs will feature books or speeches she has written for the targeted audience.
Mentoring Program
Ms. Literacy will
www.CCRHCK.ORG
CCRHCK.ORG
Mentors target children and teens for three different mentoring approaches:
- Traditional one-on-one mentoring the mentee and mentor are matched either through a program or on their own. This includes Internships that give work experience to teens.
2. Distance mentoring is also a mentoring relationship we
use online or by phone in which the two parties (or
group) are in different locations.
3. Group mentoring using a single mentor is when mentees
are encouraged by motivational speaking or moderator
lead in our mentoring program as we work with
partners.
CI's Colleton Leadership
Awards luncheon
Benefiting the
INTERN PROGRAM
- Professional of the Year Award. While there aren't title limitations, typically this person is a leader or member of the community who leads or serves in an organization well. This person takes the community or organization to new heights and displays great leadership ability and has great community influence.
- Unsung Award. Everyone in the community can fall into this category but the focus will be on the person without the big title but does so much for the organization and get little to no recognition. This could be a paraprofessional, clerk, board member, or anyone who does it all with little or no pay to accompany their service.
- Community Champion Award. Unlike the other categories, this nominee's decades or long devotion to the community causes and all the accomplishments along the way will be acknowledged. We want to review their overall career commitment to the community and be amazed.
Doris Taylor
Ginny Bishop
Travis Godley
1
CI’s 1st Colleton Leadership Awards
Photographer: Joe Epple
Date: November 4, 2023
2
CI’s 1st Colleton Leadership Awards
Photographer: Joe Epple
Date: November 4, 2023
3
CI’s 1st Colleton Leadership Awards
Photographer: Joe Epple
Date: November 4, 2023
4
CI’s 1st Colleton Leadership Awards
Photographer: Joe Epple
Date: November 4, 2023
6 GROUPS
Segoe Script
s
First Graduation Ceremony Program
APRIL 15, 2023
10 am
Commencement Speech
Thank you!
Colleton County
Raising Highly Capable Kids
Jessica Williams,
Assistant Superintendent of Colleton County School District
Food Providers:
Fermecia Fuller, Venus Tucker,
Anabel & Gerry Girardeau, Debbie & Randy Brengle,
Soulful Taste, Julie Epple, and Elflorence Oliver
Childcare Providers:
Terri Prentice, Paula Summers, Angie Matice,
Melissa Buckner, Fermecia Fuller, Venus Tucker,
Dianne Hunt, Whitney Lutz, Barbara Washington, Debbie Brengle, and Andy Harrison
Presenting Graduates
Monday
&
Saturday
CLASSES
participants
Acknowledging
Volunteers
and Leaders
- Childcare workers
- Kitchen Staff
- Door Keepers
- Other Volunteers
- Regional Director of Rezilient Kids
- Co-Champions
Public Relations:
Fermecia Fuller
Door Keepers:
Robert Gantt, Justin Campbell, and Andy Harrison
Electronic & Computer Specialists:
Joe Epple and Shiela Keaise
Rezilient Kidz Regional Director:
Andrea Davis
1st Official Public Donor:
Kesia Brown
Co-Community Champions:
Julie Epple and Shiela Keaise
CI's First Parenting University Graduates
Congratulations,
Class of 2023!
- Bright, Liz
- Hinds, Genesia
- James, Tanya
- Shark, Cassandra
- Smith, Jennifer
- Wilson, Amanda
- Wilson, Brandon
- Wright, Aaron
- Wright, Jennifer
- Bright, Liz
- Hinds, Genesia
- James, Tanya
- Shark, Cassandra
- Smith, Jennifer
- Wilson, Amanda
- Wilson, Brandon
- Wright, Aaron
- Wright, Jennifer
CI's First Parenting University Graduates
Congratulations,
Class of 2023!
- Fracasso-Bowen, Kathy
- Jakes, Vera
- Memminger, Sherelle
- Mitchell, Haleze
- Waldrop, Jordan
- Williams, Jessica
- Williams, Tony
- Fracasso-Bowen, Kathy
- Jakes, Vera
- Memminger, Sherelle
- Mitchell, Haleze
- Waldrop, Jordan
- Williams, Jessica
- Williams, Tony
Join us by Supporting
We believe in giving the best possible future to our children but it first starts by giving parents the tools needed to improve their children's social, educational, and emotional abilities.
Julie Epple
and
Shiela Keaise
Co-Community Champions
Providing innovative and life-changing
PROGRAMS to help build a greater community.
Community Innovations (CI)
Shiela Keaise, Executive Director
Julie Epple, Treasurer
Mailing Address
PO Box 1216
Walterboro, SC 29488
info@cicolleton.org
Email Address
Website
CCRHCK.ORG
Endowment
Fund
Phone Number
1-843-635-0179
