A new after-school program started in the Hillside community will teach children core values and social skills, according to director Tracy Simms. The new nonprofit Youth Educational Support Center, which is using the acronym YES, is also helping children with their school work. The program us currently hosting a summer camp, which is for children 3 to 13-years-old.

“This is our first time doing it,” said director Tracy Simms. “We wanted to open it up to the community over here, InTown West and then expand it out to the communities around our area.”

The camp is supposed to be an introduction to the after-school program and is held at Living Faith Ministries on Murphy Avenue. Simms said about 41 children are attending the summer camp.

“It was at first kind of a challenge because we are a nonprofit organization, and we had no funds for this program,” Simms said. “We partnered with the Troup County School System, and they provided lunch for us and partnered with some of the local businesses around Living Faith Ministries to provide them breakfast.”

The afterschool program is expected to start Aug. 20, 2018. For more information on YES, call Simms at (706) 407-9849 or email rsimms1012@gmail.com.