Not just for kicks

It’s Saturday evening and there’s a group of teenagers behind Faith Presbyterian Church.

From a hundred yards away, you can hear their voices — and loud music blaring out of speakers.

And when you round the corner of the building, you see a Goldsboro police officer walking among them.

But this particular gathering is not a cause for concern. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

It’s the latest in a series of events hosted by Impact Teens, an organization founded in December 2017 by Ja’Shawn Faire and his older brother, Khalil Cobb, with a single goal in mind: to bring young people together for something positive.

The organization hosted its third annual kickball tournament Saturday to raise money for local mental health causes – Eastpointe, a mental health organization, was well-represented at the event to provide information about its services. And by night’s end, T-shirt sales had resulted in more than $100 raised for a cause Ja’Shawn said is aligned with Impact Teens’ mission.

“A lot of teens go through stuff — depression, bi-polar,” the 19-year-old said. “This is going to help them out.”

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It started with a text — a communication between brothers about the need to help put an end to violence among young people in Wayne County.

“There were a lot of young people getting killed and incarcerated and we wanted to make a change,” Ja’Shawn said. “We really wanted to make a difference.”

And from adopting a section of Wayne Memorial Drive to clean up every few months and speaking at churches and middle schools to raising money for teen-friendly causes, they have done just that.

But Ja’Shawn found that making a positive impact doesn’t always involve a major undertaking.

“Sometimes, we just kind of get together … and just grill,” he said. “We laugh. We talk. We’re a family. We really just look out for each other.”

And on Saturday, they invited those in attendance to take part in a “positivity envelope” exercise — another small step in changing teens’ mindsets for the better.

“You get a little piece of paper and you write something and we just put it away,” Ja’Shawn said. “You can put something positive in there, or you can just put something that’s a burden on your life. Just put it in that envelope so you can just wash it away. When people leave here tonight, we want them leaving with positivity.”

Long after the final out was recorded — and Goldsboro police officer Walt Howard had completed his referee duties — he talked about just how significant a contribution Impact Teens has made to Wayne County.

“It means everything. Just having a foundation for kids to go to, this is a starting point to get young folks out and get them involved,” he said. “It’s a blessing to me just to get to come out and be a part of it. I told these guys, ‘Take this thing and run with it and do your thing.’ And they have gone above and beyond.”

Howard knows all too well what happens when young people don’t have a positive outlet — and the poor choices they can make when they don’t have a support system like the one Ja’Shawn and Khalil have offered to the dozens who call themselves members of their grassroots cause.

And he relishes the fact that by being a part of events like the kickball tournament, he can show Wayne County youths that they can have positive relationships with law enforcement officers — relationships that will help rekindle the sense of community that seems, at times, like it’s slipping away.

“Seeing that I’m just as human as they are — that I’ve got a family, kids, and I go to church like everybody else does — that’s the important thing,” he said. “They’re not just seeing me doing my job, but they’re also seeing me be able to hang out, kid around, and have a good time. It’s a great thing. And what they’re doing out here, it really is a blessing.”