Dream Girls Conference is the flagship program and outreach sponsored by Y.E.S.. Dream Girls is an annual conference that is specifically designed for at-risk middle and high school girls to empower them with strategies and resources to help them make wise decisions. In 2014, Y.E.S. sponsored the first annual conference that is held in North Charleston. Over 2,000 attend the conference each year from over 60 cities across South Carolina as well as other states. The conference is a catalyst for long-term involvement with Y.E.S. programs and resources, especially for those offered in the Tri-County of Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester Counties of South Carolina. The conference features motivational speakers, vendors from colleges, social service agencies, and businesses that share valuable information and resources with the girls and their parents.

Worth Beyond Measure™ and VIP (Virtues In Practice)™ are mentoring programs for middle and high school girls. Girls meet monthly with trained peer and adult mentors to engage in fun and empowering activities. The activities are also designed to promote self-efficacy and self-esteem in each girl and to empower her to build healthy relationships. The program includes: college tours and cultural field trips, role plays, skits, team-building, videos motivational speakers, get-togethers and fun.

College Tours

Youth Empowerment Services exposes middle and high school girls to educational opportunities through college tours. By visiting colleges, girls broaden their views of the world and come to realize the possibilities of breaking the cycle of poverty and hopelessness. Y.E.S. found that when disadvantaged and underserved students visit college campuses, they are motivated and inspired to complete high school. Also, the colleges inform the girls of the steps needed to pursue a college education and information on scholarship opportunities that are available for disadvantaged and underachieving students. Y.E.S. receives several testimonies from girls who were so inspired by attending college tours that they made the decision to attend the exact same college they attended while on a Y.E.S. College Tour. Many of the girls shared that the Y.E.S. College Tour was their first experience visiting a college.

Community Service Opportunities

Y.E.S. offers community service opportunities to give girls hands on opportunities to serve and give back to their communities. Girls experience the joy and fulfillment of helping others through serving at nursing homes, group homes, animal shelters, food banks, hospitals, non-profit organizations, fund raisers, and local faith-based organizations.

School and Community Presentations

Y.E.S. partners with community organizations, schools, as well as faith-based organizations to offer motivational and empowerment speakers, workshops, and presentations.

Hattie B. Jenkins Scholarship Program

We award this scholarship to girls who participate in our mentoring programs for 3 or more years and graduate from high school. The Scholarship is named in honor of Hattie B. Jenkins who was a foster Parent to over 30 children over several years. She was the mother of Roslin Fields, our Founder & Executive Director. 

Interventions are different for girls than for boys, and girls in particular can experience a lack of self-efficacy and feelings of not being unique. Many girls are dealing with gender-specific issues such as poor self-esteem, stereotyping, and sexual and mental abuse. The 2010 US Department of Justice Girls Study Group Report indicates that girls experience higher rates of mental and health problems that are linked to life stressors and experiences of victimization and depression. The feeling of uniqueness and connections through healthy relationships empowers girls to develop healthy minds, spirits and bodies. This study also reveals that increasing rates of early onset puberty are correlated with romantic relationships between girls and adult boyfriends, who may involve the girls in risky behaviors.

Teacher, pioneer, motivator, mentor, friend are just a few of the adjectives that describe Roslin J. Fields. This mother, retired middle school teacher, founder and executive director of Youth Empowerment Services, Inc., (Y.E.S.), leads an incredibly busy, but purposeful life. Friends and colleagues marvel at her energy and enthusiasm. Few desire to walk in her shoes.

Ms. Fields was born and raised in the inner city of Charleston. She is an only child and credits her mother for teaching her the values of being a servant. Together, Ms. Fields and her mother served as foster parents to a host of children in the tri-county.

Ms. Fields has one adult daughter and two grand children.

Ms. Fields, M. Ed., a graduate of South Carolina State College and The Citadel, was an accomplished middle school teacher and received many accolades and recognition for her dedicated service in the public school system. After 28 years in the classroom, she retired to serve full time as the executive director of Youth Empowerment Services that was incorporated in 1998. Because of her passion for empowering youth, Ms. Fields is the recipient of various community service awards. She was presented with the key to the city of North Charleston in the year 2000. Ms. Fields speaks extensively throughout the community and beyond on youth empowerment.

Thousands of youth between the ages of 9 to 19 have this organization to thank for playing a major role in providing planned activities that encourage and promote wise and healthy decision-making, leadership skills, peer mentoring, community service and fun. The participants come from various communities throughout the tri-county, the faith-based community, other organizations and schools to form their very own closely knit community of spirited teens.

Ultimately, Ms. Fields would like to reach the masses of young people who have not yet been told the benefits and joy of making thoughtful decisions concerning their bodies, relationships, and the future.

Her vision is to plant seeds of greatness, self-love, and courage among the youth with whom she works. Her motto in life is “The way to live a full life is to empty ourselves of the treasures God has placed within us.” ™