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<p>PLYMOUTH &#8212; Just over a year ago, Holly Spece wrote a mission statement for her new group &#8212; the Plymouth Youth Organization &#8212; stating her goal was to get kids to see the importance of community involvement and to learn how to make their hometown a better place to live.</p><p>As Spece&#8217;s PYO enters its second year, she is starting to see the fruits of her labor.</p><p>&#8220;Last year was a great success,&#8221; Spece said. &#8220;It is important to host events to continue to introduce the Plymouth Youth Organization and its purpose to the youth of this town and surrounding areas. I hope that this organization would be something kids would like to be a part of so that they may have the opportunity to make positive changes in their community while having fun and making good memories.&#8221;</p><p>Spece said the PYO has a 3-on-3 basketball tournament planned for Saturday, June 30 &#8212; registrations start at 9 a.m. In preparation for the tourney, upgrades are being made to the basketball courts at Barnes Street Park.</p><p>Spece said other events are in the works with the Girls Scouts, Boy Scouts and youth on the West Side. She also hopes to plant flowers at Barnes Street Park.</p><p>&#8220;We are in need of some donations for that project,&#8221; Spece said. &#8220;I am waiting to hear of a finish date for the improvements and will have a scheduled date very soon.&#8221;</p><p>Spece said there will be a Chalk Art Jamboree on Saturday, Aug. 18, and she is in discussions to hold a dodgeball tournament, Halloween bash and more.</p><p>&#8220;I hope to have the opportunity to work with a local entertainer who hosts an amazing haunted house in Plymouth to help with our spook house,&#8221; Spece said.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Last year, the Chalk Art Jamboree, the Halloween bash and an Ornament Extravaganza were huge successes.</p><p>Spece said the participants have had fun at all the events, getting to know each other and making new friends. She said the events of the first year catered mostly to younger children, while this year she will add events for older kids.</p><p>&#8220;The main thing is that all of the kids are getting to do fun things in their hometown,&#8221; Spece said.</p><p>She also wants the kids of Plymouth to get involved with organizations like Kiwanis, Rotary and Plymouth Alive to help them gain a full understanding of what it means to help their community.</p><p>&#8220;I thought it could encourage a sense of pride because the kids would have the opportunity to invest their efforts into our town now, so maybe they would be less likely to vandalize or take part in other criminal activities,&#8221; Spece said. &#8220;I thought it could encourage confidence because the kids could learn all the wonderful things that they are capable of.&#8221;</p><p>To help or for more information on the Plymouth Youth Organization, call 570-817-8880.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Children are shown at the Ornament Extravaganza, an event sponsored by the Plymouth Youth Organization. They made ornaments for the residents at Plymouth Manor and Dan Flood Towers. A few weeks later, the kids sang Christmas carols and gave the ornaments to the residents. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_PYO-event.jpg</photo0><caption0>Children are shown at the Ornament Extravaganza, an event sponsored by the Plymouth Youth Organization. They made ornaments for the residents at Plymouth Manor and Dan Flood Towers. A few weeks later, the kids sang Christmas carols and gave the ornaments to the residents. </caption0><photoCredit0>Submitted photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Plymouth Youth Organization teaching civic pride while helping community