315th shares photo expertise with local kids at workshop

Published March 28, 2011
By Senior Airman Bobby Pilch
315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The 315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs office members here took time to step from behind the camera and take to the classroom sharing their knowledge and passion for photography with children who participate in an educational partnership between Safe Kids USA and Metanoia at Saint Mathews Church in North Charleston, S.C. March 14.

The children attending the afternoon instruction participate in the Safe Kids USA program, an international organization that works to reduce unintentional injuries to children age 14 and under, the leading cause of death and disability for this age group according to their website.

"The purpose of the project is to use photography to describe the walking environment," said Kristin A. Greeson, program coordinator for the Safe Kids Trident area lead by the Medical University of South Carolina Children's Hospital.

Members of the 315th who participated in the afternoon instruction were called upon to assist with the Photovoice project that falls under the Safe Kids USA umbrella.

The children were first given basic photography instruction lead by Michael Dukes, the 315th audio visual technician and Staff Sgt. Rashard Coaxum, a public affairs specialist with the wing.

"I feel that photography offers the kids another method to express themselves in a way beyond words and to show others what is important to them," Dukes said.

After the children were given a brief overview of the photography expectations, they were let loose, with cameras in hand, to capture the classroom environment in their eyes.

"We received a small grant of $500 that allowed us to participate in Photovoice," said Greeson, who had purchased several cameras for the children to utilize for this program.

The children immediately started posing like fashion models and their favorite musicians. Several children found a creative view through the camera lense lead by Sergeant Coaxum, who provided hands-on instruction with the young visionaries.

"I love working with children with a desire to learn and get better each day of life," said Sergeant Coaxum. "Their drive to understand and put to work what they've learned from the class showed dedication towards building successful life experiences and memories for their futures. By teaching the children and sharing my life experiences in photography I hope to be able not just to help change the perception of what's caught through the lens but what's caught in the heart. Their success equals my success."

The next lesson will involve the children going outside and taking pictures of their neighborhood and surrounding environment.

"All of the children are voluntarily participating," said Greeson. "We want the children to use photography to tell the story about the community they live in, not focus on the bad, but the good in their community and put their words into pictures."

"Metanoia is a faith-based, non-profit organization focused on building leaders, establishing quality housing and generating economic development," said David Hutchinson, co-director of youth leadership programs at the local organization in North Charleston.

This afternoon is just one of the many ways members of the Air Force Reserve serve in their local communities and live the core value - "Service before self."

safe kids