Thelma Watkins puts her do-as-I-do approach into practice.

Thelma Watkins, founder of Diamond in the Rough Productions and the Diamond Summer Camp, shouts out instructors in dance class.

At Diamond Summer Camp, boosting self-esteem is the goal pursued largely through the performing arts. (Photos by Warren Roseborough)

In addition to dance and drama training, Diamond Summer Camp get computer skills instruction from Vanessa Dotson.

Elder Tommy A. Sullivan, pastor of Church of the Word Worship and Praise, and executive director of the Memphis Ten-Point Coalition, embraced the Diamond Summer Camp as “a good fit” to a ministry focused on helping at-risk youth stay free of gang violence and juvenile crime.

Convinced that she had a winning idea in Diamond Summer Camp, Watkins kept knocking on doors until she found the one that opened to Elder Tommy A. Sullivan, pastor of Church of the Word Worship and Praise (CWWP), and executive director of the Memphis Ten Point Coalition.

“I started Diamond in the Rough Productions three years ago, and we’ve done some smaller projects with church youth groups,” said Watkins. “I spoke with several pastors and tried to get my camp idea off the ground. None of them could really see all the great possibilities of a project like this.”

At Diamond Summer Camp, children are trained in theatre, stage production, dance, and voice. For Sullivan, the camp was a good fit for a ministry focused on helping at-risk youth stay free of gang violence and juvenile crime.

“We did not have the funds to operate each week day because we wanted to keep summer camp free of charge,” said Sullivan. “And so the children come in once a week on Saturday, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. It’s only for one day, but we make the most of our time with them.”

Diamond Summer Camp keeps participants rotating from class to class in 55-minute sessions. Age categories are: 5-8, 9-12, and 13-17.

In addition to dance and drama training, youngsters attend additional sessions in computer instruction, African-American history, personal hygiene, and character building.

“There are children and teens all over Memphis who have never even been inside a church or participated in any church activity whatsoever,” said Sullivan. “We take the gospel beyond our walls and reach out to those families. The gospel of Jesus Christ will draw people to church, but we must also take the gospel to them.”

Much of the camp activity is geared toward a late summer stage production written by Watkins. The production will showcase a variety of acting and dance techniques by camp participants.

“I am in the process of cleaning up the script. We’re working on a small play – a drama presentation – and in it, I will incorporate various elements of dance – hip-hop, praise dance, and a jitterbug number for the younger kids,” said Watkins.

“We want our young people to find new confidence in themselves and their abilities. Study of the performing arts is a great way to boost self-esteem.”

NOTE: Pastor Sullivan founded Church of the Word Worship and Praise in 1998. Church services and the Diamond Summer Camp are held at McLean Baptist Church, where the two congregations share facilities. For more information on the camp or CWWP, call 219-5633, or 487-7427.