A group of 17 rising freshmen are spending a few days in search of youth-friendly places in Jacksonville and Onslow County as part of a YouthMapping project with the City of Jacksonville.

The group spent Tuesday morning on a self-discovery, practicing interviewing skills, learning how to do research and how to use resources available to gather information.   

The group will continue to take outings through Thursday in the community, interviewing various businesses, organizations, and government staff in their effort to locate businesses, programs, or activities that offer a safe, welcoming and encouraging atmosphere for youth.

Tim Pryor, 13, who will attend Dixon High School in the fall, said the program taught him some undiscovered strengths.

"I really didn't think I was that much of a leader, but (I found out) I'm really better when it comes to arguing over a case - I'm a better lawyer than a diplomat," he said. "I like to sit back and hear other people's opinions, but I want my opinion heard too."

He said he most looked forward to visiting the courthouse and law firms.

"I want to find out the more intricate details of what things they do, other than arguing cases ...," he said.

Knowing she is a science-oriented person who loves children, Macy Green, 14, who will attend Jacksonville High in the fall, wants to find businesses and organizations in the area that "help our youth in Jacksonville."

"I would like to go to a day care center and doctor's office to learn more about what they do," she said.

She also discovered she has leadership skills.

"I've learned that I'm a very outspoken person," she said.

YouthMapping asks the students to find positives about Jacksonville and Onslow County, and what both have to offer youth, said Glenn Hargett, Jacksonville's director of community affairs.

"We want to get rising freshmen before their minds are polluted by high school. The model we use is based on the National Community YouthMapping program ... we want them to self discover, and through the process, sometimes, they also discover there are youth-friendly places closer to them than they thought."

The groups are broken into teams, choose the areas they will explore, then interview individuals using a questionnaire to help them determine a youth friendly factor.

During the process, they learn there is more to Jacksonville and Onslow County, said Shanin Moore, the director of the program.

"They learn there are many opportunities - volunteering, shadowing, mentoring - they can be involved with," she said. "And, they can share what they have learned at school with others and with the organizations they're involved with."

Craig Wagner went through the program when he was a freshman and has volunteered with the program for four years.

"(They're) mapping out themselves, learning leadership and teamwork skills while they are discovering the community," he said. ""We empower them with the challenge to cover the most places in the shortest amount of time, but to still be able to be thorough ... it's part of learning decision-making and how to think things through," he said.

At the conclusion of the institute, the YouthMappers will enter their findings into a data base, Moore said.

Businesses or organization found to be youth-friendly will receive certificates to display.

Contact Suzanne Ulbrich at 910-219-8454 or sulbrich@freedomenc.com.