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recent mentoring event paired eighth-grade boys with community mentors, and a juried art exhibit is accepting local student creations. Here’s the 411 from communities around the region, including Dunbar, Charleston and South Charleston.
GUYS IN TIES: Dunbar Middle School eighth-grade boys spent part of the school day Tuesday with community mentors as part of the school’s annual Guys in Ties event. Together with their mentors, students lead discussions about life, goals, and the future. As the name of the event suggests, pupils also learned how to tie a tie. Dr. Brian Dinkins, a motivational speaker, national education consultant and former defensive end at Purdue University, shared his personal journey from a difficult childhood and academic struggles to chasing his dream of playing football. Dunbar Middle School is expected to host Girls in Pearls, a mentoring event similar to Guys in Ties, for eighth-grade girls on March 26.
YOUTH ART: Know a youth who shows promising talent in art? Then you may want to tell them about the City of Charleston Office of Public Art’s Youth Arts 2026 Juried Exhibition. The exhibition is open to students from Kanawha County in grades K-12, including those from public, private, alternative, and home schools. Pupils are asked to submit original 2D art for possible selection. The deadline for all entries is March 19, but three different drop-off dates are available. Students and/or guardians may drop youth artwork off at the Office of Public Art, 1021 B Quarrier Street, between the hours of 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 5; Thursday, March 12, or Thursday, March 19. Selected works will be displayed at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center between March 30 and April 2. A reception and awards ceremony will take place on April 2. More information and a registration form can be found on the City of Charleston’s website.
E-SPORT CONTEST: Fans of e-sports (or basketball) can try their hand at taking home cash prizes at an upcoming all-ages tournament. The South Charleston Community Center’s E-Sports Gaming Center is hosting an NBA 2K competition on Friday, March 27, at 6 p.m. Prizes include $100 for the first-place winner, $50 for the second-place winner, and $25 for the third-place winner. There is a $5 entry fee to participate. Those interested in participating in the NBA 2K Tournament must sign up at the South Charleston Community Center, 601 Jefferson Road, by March 26. For more information, call 304-744-4731 .
