Youth participants and counselors of Hillcrest Enrichment Program.

by Sarah Williams

The Hillcrest Enrichment Program has been in existence for approximately thirty years. It was founded and directed by Elder John R. Hayes, and early on was recognized as one of the nation’s best early intervention and prevention programs for families and communities. The program was established to provide cultural, educational, recreational, and motivational experiences. It deterred juvenile delinquency while helping to improve behavior and attitude, and it encouraged scholastic achievement that was essential to the development of high self-esteem.

Housed at Hillcrest Apartments, the program was and is an entity of the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville, under its former Executive Director David Jones and current Executive Director Gene Bell.

The parts that made up the whole ranged across the spectrum of activities for young people. The High Steppin’ Majorettes and Drum Corps included girls and boys ages 3 to 18. Young men ages 15 to 19 took part in the drug free basketball program. Hillcrest Enrichment also provided computer classes, open to both children and adults. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts for children ages 9 to 18 played an integral part in students’ daily lives. And, of course, a tutoring program has always been an essential feature of the Enrichment Program.

In past years, a summer curriculum was also in place. To ensure year-round activities, Asheville City Schools and the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville offered facilities for the program at Asheville Middle School, Hillcrest Apartments, and Lee Walker Heights.

Today the Hillcrest Enrichment Program is still housed at Hillcrest Apartments and is funded by the Asheville Housing Authority. Mrs. Patricia Griffin is Community Activities Program Manager, and Mrs. Lillian Butler is her Administrative Assistant. Mrs. Butler, who has worked in the program for eleven years, is a true champion of its causes.

“We are able, as a community, to support children in academics and character building,” says Mrs. Griffin. “As time passes and the community continues to support the children, we will see great academic progress.”

She readily outlines highlights of Hillcrest Enrichment that benefit the community as well as the student participants. “[It] also gives the residents of the development an opportunity for employment. Retired teachers are part of our staff. This is a fantastic element of our success. Twenty tutors from UNC-A will help us this year. This will make the ratio approximately two students to one tutor. We will be using the SRA program which will be of great help for our students in grades one through three.”

She continues, “Eric Howard, a social worker for Asheville City Schools, will volunteer time after school to guide our students down the right paths. Benny Lake’s organization, Upfront Management Sports, perhaps will join us this school year. The possibility of his organization joining us is in the planning stage right now. Should this materialize, this will be a way of helping to keep young people off the streets during the evening hours.”

The Hillcrest Enrichment Program is successful because both staff and volunteers are committed to the program. They have the dedication to effectively guide and motivate students to be the best that they can be.

The heart of the program at present is its homework assistance tutorial component. Students are given assistance with homework and school projects Monday through Thursday every week, while Fridays are set aside for recreational or educational activities.

The tutors are responsible for communicating with teachers regularly by phone or by visits to the various schools, assisting students in the successful completion of their homework, and communicating with parents when necessary. The homework assistants are Karla Johnson, Cedric Whiteside, Florence Green, Rochelle Clement, Bonita Jackson, and Tasha Lyles. Most of the tutors are residents of Hillcrest.

Support personnel are also key to the program’s success. Mrs. Ernestine Watts helps with math, and Mrs. Sheila Dixon is the custodian. Mrs. Deborah Johnson-Cannady, who serves as cook, comes in early to prepare a healthy, tasty snack to be ready as soon as the students arrive.

Three city schools – Isaac Dickson, Hall Fletcher, and Ira B. Jones – host parent/student nights once a month on the grounds of Hillcrest Apartments. parents and students work on hands-on, creative activities in science, reading, and math.