YEP Transforms Students: Year-End Reflections

At Helping Hands of Georgetown, the true measure of success is not simply the number of students served—it is the lives transformed.

Every week, students participating in the Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) gather to learn valuable life skills, explore career opportunities, build leadership abilities, and prepare for life after high school. But ask the students what the program means to them, and their answers go far beyond college preparation and career exploration.

They describe YEP as a family, a safe space, a support system, and a source of hope.

YEP “Prepared Me for College”

For Georgetown High School graduate Naomi Reed, YEP helped provide the confidence and preparation she needed as she prepares to attend Newberry College on a music scholarship and pursue her dream of becoming a journalist.

“They just gave advice for preparing me for college, like interviews and public speaking” Naomi said. “It really helped me prepare mentally before I actually got there.”

Today, Naomi is headed to college with a clear vision for her future. She encourages younger students to participate because, as she puts it, “It helps build character. It helps you become a better you.”

Similar to Naomi, for Carvers Bay High School graduate Jashiem Frederick, YEP opened doors she may never have discovered on her own. Now preparing to attend Jackson State University, she credits the program with exposing her to new opportunities and helping her navigate the college process.

“It leads you to opportunities you wouldn’t know are there,” she said. “Others should join to see a different side of things and learn about more things.”

Howard University-bound graduate Lillian Bryant initially joined YEP for a simple reason—the free lunch provided during meetings! What she found was something much more meaningful.

“They started teaching us…about life,” she said. “It was much more than I expected.”

Looking back, Lillian believes the lessons learned through YEP will continue to benefit participants long after graduation. “It’s one of those clubs where you’ll definitely see the benefits over the long run,” she said

Personal Growth and Discovery

For younger students, YEP often becomes a turning point during critical years of personal growth and self-discovery.

Waccamaw High School sophomore Semayah Bennett says the program has helped her think differently about her future and the decisions she makes today.

“It opens up your mind to help you think,” she said. “It helps you mature.”

Meanwhile, fellow Waccamaw student Jasmine Nesbit describes YEP as a judgment-free environment where students from different backgrounds come together, support one another, and dream bigger.

“I get to experience some things I never thought I would ever experience,” Jasmine said. “It makes me really look at the world differently.”

Perhaps some of the most powerful examples of YEP’s impact can be seen in the personal growth students experience.

When Georgetown High senior Vashawn Nelson joined YEP as a freshman, he struggled to open up and communicate with others. Over time, the program helped him develop confidence, build relationships, and learn to trust people.

“I wouldn’t be social or really talk to people. But ever since I joined this program it’s like more light came into my life,” he said. “I feel like this program was really a blessing.”

Today, Vashawn actively encourages other students to join. “I recommend you join this program because it will change your life. I know because it changed mine.”

Transformation

Likewise, sophomore Eny’Jiah Deas shares a similar story of transformation. She describes herself as being “in the dark” before joining the program. “The program came and gave me a fire,” she said.

Through YEP, Eny’Jiah has learned conflict-resolution skills and developed healthier ways to respond to challenges.  She is now rebuilding trust in others. She credits the program with helping her mature emotionally and preparing her for adulthood.

Most importantly, she says YEP provides something every young person needs: a place where they feel accepted and supported.

“This program is a safe space. You are not judged over here. We take you as you are,” she said. “To any teen who feels…like they have no hope, there is a light out there. We can be the light to help you.”

A Holistic Approach with a Family Atmosphere

The Youth Empowerment Program serves students from all four Georgetown County high schools, providing career exploration, leadership development, college and workforce readiness, mentorship, and life-skills training. Through weekly school-based sessions, college tours, cultural experiences, leadership conferences, and mentoring relationships, students gain the tools they need to build successful futures.

Yet the program’s greatest achievement is something that cannot be measured by statistics alone. It helps young people discover their potential, believe in themselves, and realize they are not alone.

Finally, as the students themselves repeatedly describe it, YEP is more than a program—it is a family, a source of encouragement, and a pathway to a brighter future.