Event organized to show opportunities to youths
By Joey Pitchford
Published in News on August 28, 2016 1:45 AM
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News-Argus/SETH COMBS
Tariq Wallace, 14, right, freshman at Goldsboro High School speaks with Air Force representatives at the Wayne County Classic event on Friday.
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News-Argus/SETH COMBS
Creator of the Wayne County Classic event Air Force Staff Sgt. Atarius Farmer shakes hands with Airmen 1st Class Cherron Wooten on Friday at the Goldsboro High School football field. Farmer worked to personally thank each participant that was present at the event.
At the end of the day, we're all just people.
That was one of the lessons learned Friday evening at the first-ever Wayne County Classic event, where representatives from the Goldsboro Police Department and all branches of the military came to Goldsboro High School to meet and interact with youth from the community.
The event took place before the Friday night football game between Goldsboro High and Eastern Wayne. It was organized by Air Force Staff Sgt. Atarius Farmer, who also works as the co-offensive coordinator for the Goldsboro High Cougars.
Farmer said the goal of the Wayne County Classic was to show inner-city kids that there are opportunities out there for them.
"We just want to give them a whole other outlook on life. This school is 98 percent black, and when these kids leave they're going back to their poverty, back to their upbringing, so we just want to give them a different outlook."
The Air Force recruiters were among the first organizations to arrive ahead of the event. Airman 1st Class Brandon Fossett said that he wanted to send the message that a military career brings consistency and reliability.
"You'll have a roof over your head, food to eat, a steady job and reliable source of income." he said. "College isn't for everyone, and if it's not for you, the Air Force provides other opportunities."
The Goldsboro Police Department set up their mobile command unit next to the Air Force recruiter's tent. Capt. Trey Ball said that coming to events like the Wayne County Classic is important for showing the community members that the police are there to help them.
"We're part of the community," Ball said. "We're not all out here just arresting everybody, we want to help the community and keep the community safe."
As people began arriving for the game, members of the police department and a group of youth started tossing around a football.
Housing officer Michael Rivers was the first Goldsboro police officer to join the game, laughing and joking with the kids as they gave him a hard time over a missed throw. He said that he wanted to make sure they knew he was there for them.
"They need role models to look up to, and there's a lack of role models," he said. "Even though we wear a badge and a gun, we're all the same. We're all human."
Away from the other youth and the growing football crowd, Goldsboro High freshman Tariq Wallace walked up to the Air Force recruiters tent. While the decision to enter the military might take a lot of thought for some, Tariq only wanted to know one thing.
"I just asked how old I have to be to talk to a recruiter," he said.
Tariq, whose father retired from the Army after 25 years and whose aunt worked as an air traffic controller for the Air Force, said he has grown up on stories about the military. He said he wants to work in aircraft maintenance.
"I like the Air Force a lot," he said. "Throughout my whole childhood I've been fond of the military, but I really like the Air Force.
"One day I want to fly."
In around four years, he may just get his chance.