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Teacher, pioneer, motivator, mentor, friend are just a few of the adjectives that describe Roslin Fields. This mother of a teenage daughter, retired middle school teacher, and founder and executive director of a non-profit community action organization, leads an incredibly busy, but purposeful life. Friends and colleagues marvel at her energy and enthusiasm. Few desire to walk in her shoes.
As a professional educator, Ms. Fields has been named Teacher of the Year in both Charleston and Dorchester counties. Her 28 years in the classroom have afforded her countless opportunities to sharpen her skills via various staff development experiences and inspire hundreds of boys and girls to do and become their very best. Her appointment to the Governor’s Educational Task Force for the state of South Carolina is only one of the many additional responsibilities she has graciously accepted.
As of 1998, Ms. Fields, a native Charlestonian and graduate of South Carolina State College and The Citadel, has headed Y.E.S. (Youth Empowerment Services). The organization is the result of one obedient woman answering a personal call to empower youth to become responsible, committed and productive members of their families and communities. Additionally, her passion is to promote the abstinence before marriage message and lifestyle. This passion led her to Washington, DC in 1998 to escort a former student who was invited to speak before Congress on the subject of abstinence.
Over 500 youth and adults attended the first Y.E.S. rally that was held on December 5, 1998 in North Charleston. Y.E.S. collaborated with other community- based groups to sponsor a character-building youth concert the following year that was attended by over 1,200 people. Because of her efforts to positively affect her community, Ms. Fields was presented with the key to the city of North Charleston in the year 2000.
Youth between the ages of 9 to 19 have this organization to thank for playing a major role in providing lots of fun and planned activities that encourage and promote community service, peer mentoring, leadership skills and wise decision-making. The participants come from low-income housing developments, Ponderosa, Charleston’s inner city, rural communities of the Tri-county and other faith-based, community organizations and schools to form their very own closely knit community of spirited teens. They appear willing to learn how to avoid at-risk behaviors that manifest violence, drugs, and alcohol abuse.
The organization’s mission statement- “It is our mission to empower youth to comprehend, embrace and practice choices that would ultimately result in a healthy productive lifestyle.” - is demonstrative of Ms. Fields’ desire to raise the standard in communities throughout the Tri-county, state and nation. Her vision is to plant seeds of greatness, self-love, and courage among the youth with whom she works.
Ultimately, Ms. Fields would like to reach the masses of young people who have not yet been told the benefits and joy of making thoughtful decisions concerning their bodies, relationships, and the future.
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