Community Impact and Youth Empowerment: Highlighting The Village Group’s Role in Georgetown County

By Karen Owens, Publisher

Ray Funnye has always been committed to giving back to his community, no matter where he resided. From his volunteer service with organizations such as Big Brother Big Sister in Atlanta to his leadership in organizing local events in Plantersville, Funnye’s unwavering passion for helping others is a theme that has guided both his personal and professional life.

This commitment is also reflected in his impressive 33-year career in public service with Georgetown County. Over the years, Funnye held a variety of roles, including managing the airport, parks and recreation, public works, landfill operations, the county fleet, road construction and maintenance, GIS, and inspection services. It’s clear his professional responsibilities and volunteer activities were both geared toward enhancing quality of life and supporting community development.

The Village Group: Origins and Mission 

Funnye shared that The Village Group was founded 21 years ago, inspired by a vision to support families in rural Georgetown County. The goal was to bring families together and help develop children’s social and athletic skills. What began as community baseball games between fathers and sons served as the catalyst for The Village Group’s formation. Soon, their focus expanded to consider additional ways to positively impact the lives of local children.

This shared commitment to youth development was based on the belief that active engagement is essential in every child’s life. Funnye explained that The Village Group conducted a needs assessment to identify gaps within the community and determine how they could provide meaningful support. The assessment revealed recurring themes such as the need to improve academic performance, create safe and nurturing environments for children, address food insecurity, and promote economic mobility for residents. All these efforts were aimed at building a more sustainable community.

Bridging Gaps and Fostering Opportunity

Funnye noted, “Many people must still travel to Myrtle Beach for work, much like I did when I was a young person. We want to bridge the gap for families who’ve been disenfranchised. We want to foster independent thinkers and entrepreneurship by exposing people to the variety of careers and opportunities that exist in the world today.”

In its early days, The Village Group volunteered at Plantersville Elementary, organized Back-to-School supply drives, and hosted pep rallies to energize students for the new school year. These events quickly grew to include children and families from across Georgetown County who shared the belief in active engagement. The group’s efforts led to the creation of festivals, motivational speaker events, after-school programs, and eventually the highly successful Plantersville Summer Academy.

Responding to New Challenges

Funnye explained, “The Covid pandemic was devastating to our children and their academic progress. Our after-school program serves 63 students, and we have three certified teachers who work to address the social and emotional needs of the children as well as enhance academic performance.”

For example, if a child acts out, the program does not expel them. Instead, they work with the child in a small group setting to redirect their energy toward positive behavior.

There is a strong emphasis on reading fluency, not only to improve literacy skills but also to foster a genuine love of reading. “If your parent doesn’t read to you or read books for their own pleasure, a child doesn’t necessarily embrace reading. Our teachers work to find books suited for the student’s level and ability and then gradually increase the difficulty to improve their proficiency.”

During the three-hour after-school program, students receive a snack upon arrival, work with math and reading specialists, complete homework, and then have dinner before being bused home to their families. Each month, parents attend meetings to review their child’s progress and celebrate outstanding academic achievements.

The Plantersville Summer Academy and Bridge Program

The Plantersville Summer Academy and Bridge Program is a six-week summer offering aimed at preventing the “summer slide”—the loss of academic gains students often experience during extended breaks. Without ongoing structured learning, students’ skills, especially in math and reading, can regress, requiring teachers to spend weeks reteaching old material at the start of the new school year.

Last year, the academy served 253 students from all over Georgetown County with 13 certified teachers. Families from Pawleys Island, Sampit, and Andrews could bring their children to Georgetown to catch a bus to Plantersville for the program, which runs Monday through Thursday from 7:45 am to 5:30 pm.

STEM Education and Enrichment Experiences

Beyond reading, students engage in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities and participate in field trips to local farms, manufacturing facilities, colleges, museums, and historic sites. Older students even travel out of state to experience college life, visiting campuses in Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Washington, DC, and Niagara Falls. Funnye highlighted how especially impactful the Niagara Falls trip was for studying the power of water.

Companies like BMW, Boeing, HTC, SixAxis and others support the academy’s technology education. This year, there will be a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence and robotics, with middle and high school students building robots that younger students will use to enhance their literacy skills.

Celebrating Achievement and Family Involvement

A Parents Observance Day is held at the end of the six-week academy, inviting community leaders and showcasing what students have learned and accomplished during the summer session.

Registration for the summer academy is ongoing, with classes beginning June 2. The program is open to Georgetown County students in grades K–9, with tuition set at $300. Families can register online or download an application by visiting the Village Group’s website.

About The Village Group

The Village Group is dedicated to preparing youth with the tools to build a sustainable community. Their focus areas include college and career readiness, cultural education, and economic development. In addition to after-school and summer programs, The Village Group operates a cultural center devoted to preserving and sharing the local Gullah Geechee heritage. The organization’s aim is for the community’s children to understand their past as a story of triumph, finding pride and connection in the stories of their ancestors.