VALDOSTA — A strategic plan to address and combat environmental issues affecting Valdosta communities is under way, and local youth are at the heart of the project.

Community members, business leaders and local organizations met Tuesday evening to plan, coordinate and allocate resources for the kick-off of the Valdosta Block Club’s Adopt-a-Spot, Sow-a-Seed Program. Councilman James Wright is spearheading the initiative and stated that the meeting was a success and that the group is going to have the opportunity to learn a lot from the first adopted spot, which will be at Forrest and Fry Streets. This location will be revitalized with trees and flowers being planted with new irrigation systems, helping control erosion on the streets and sidewalks. The group hopes to be able to have a street light installed as well.

This program, started by Wright in March, is a community-based environmental training program and will incorporate physical and financial training to area youth in an effort to create safe and vibrant neighborhoods throughout Valdosta. The program is expected to assist in long-term efforts to build vibrant, healthy and sustainable communities.

Initially, 15 youth will participate in the first Adopt-a-Spot project and become the first members of the “Leaders to Be” Program. Those who demonstrate a willingness to participate will be expected to successfully complete an eight week program consisting of three classes per week. Each student who successfully completes the program will receive a gardening tool, flower seeds to plant in their community, assistance with establishing a balanced checking account and a karate uniform.

Wright stated that the goal is not to plant a few flowers and walk away, but to really give children the tools they need to develop into better educated, better involved and contributing members to society.

Pioneers of the program have developed goals and objectives that they will work toward in the coming years. The initial goal is to involve and educate the entire community through fund-raisers, marketing and free literature on community events. The second goal is to adopt three spots during the first year, and the final goal is the establishment of the “Leaders to Be” Program.

Valdosta’s Block Club has been established as an effective front-line community-based organization and has combated community problems such as poverty, crime, inequality and despair for a number of years.

Wright developed the idea of integrating the Adopt-a-Spot program into the overall goals of the Valdosta Block Club after uncovering studies on a theory known as the “broken window.” This theory, originated by Dr. James Wilson and Dr. G. Kelling, stated that the general disorder in communities contributes to the rise of serious crimes and degeneration of the area. In response to the article, Wright, along with support of many sponsors, successfully involved the entire community in an effort to change the negative perception of these affected areas.

Wright believes that it is important to work with kids and adults in regard to keeping a community clean and revitalized. This, he believes, will contribute to a time when the community will sustain itself.

Sponsors participating in the program include Rhema Word Ministries, Home Depot, Pepsi Co., the Valdosta Police Department, the Public Works Department, Valdosta AMVETS, Valdosta Technical College, Pinevale Performance Learning Center, Teach Outreach Ministries, King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church, Greater Union Ministries, Valdosta City Council, Lowndes County Board of Commissioners and many other businesses and community members.