W.E.C.A. Profile of the Week – Travis Ephriam

June 5, 2008
As a former four sport athlete at Marianna High School Travis Ephriam is giving back to the community that gave so much to him. Ephriam serves as the coordinator for the W.E.C.A. McClain After School Program. This program, started by John Walker and Maurice Clay five years ago, has received a grant the last three years from the Department of Juvenile Justice’s Prevention Program. The After School program mentors and tutors young students, ages 7-14, during the school year at the McClain Community Center in Marianna. They are open Monday through Friday from 3-7 pm.
Activities and programs range from assisting students with homework and providing them with school supplies to exercises to help prepare them for FCAT testing. In addition, Patty Melvin comes in once a month to encourage positive development of character based on the "Character First" Program. Lou Roberts, Marianna Police Chief, came out to talk with the students and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department came out to have a cookout with the students. All this, according to Ephriam, provides positive role models and positive associations for the young people in their program. During the past school year the program averaged 20-25 students a day.
"The program is definitely a plus for the community. The Bible says an idle mind is the devil’s workshop and we give the students an extra four hours a day of structured activities and supervision. We feel like it helps the students to develop positive role models both inside their community and outside their community," Ephriam commented. Ephriam emphasized that without the support of other workers the program would not be possible. Those other workers include Leon Kelly, Marqita Harvey and Belinda Wynn.
Ephriam is a 1998 graduate of Marianna where he participated in football, basketball, track and weightlifting. He is a graduate of Chipola and FAMU and is currently working on a Master’s Degree in Leadership from the University of West Florida. While teaching at Marianna High School he coached JV football for 3 years and JV Basketball for 5 years. He most recently taught at Sneads High School. He has been married for four years to the former D’Leisha Cockerham of Grand Ridge.
The Jackson County Times is featuring a weekly profile during the month of June of individuals that work with the West End Community Association (W.E.C.A). The association is a grant funded program that provides a variety of activities and programs to young people in the Marianna and surrounding communities.