More than 30 students in the 'Why Not Young Lives' camp marched from the Orangeburg County Courthouse to town square to voice their opinions on things they would like to see changed in their community.
"Something that frustrates me is a lot of gang violence," said Janighra Argrow, Why Not Young Lives camper.
"The thing that matters to me most is kids hanging in the streets, being involved in gangs, or doing drugs," expressed Isiah Simon, Why Not Yot Young Lives camper. "I don't like that stuff."
"For them to march and shout out youth justice, kids' lives matter, and we matter, that's important," explained David Williams, Why Not Young Lives' executive director. "Sometimes, we tend to forget the bigger picture."
Why Not Young Lives is a new free six-week creative literacy camp designed to teach students social action, as well as filling in any academic gaps caused by the pandemic. The camps' executive director says the theme for the first year is youth justice.
"They hold each other to a high standard," Williams said. "They tell each other, if we want to make this happen, we can make it happen."
The kids also sang a song they created about social justice. Even though the campers are not at the age to vote yet, they say they still have a voice on what goes on around them.
"The Breonna Taylor and the George Floyd situations frustrate me," said Argrow. "I felt like I marched for them and my camp."