THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 13, 1994 TAG: 9410110103
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover story
SOURCE: Heidi Glick
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
Kelvin. Teddy. Kamilah. Larry. Teresa. Johnnie. Markee . . . and the list goes on.
She calls them all her ``kids,'' rattling the names off easily and telling little anecdotes about each person . . . how some were scared their first day on the job . . . that one loves to work with children . . . that another bought his sister clothes for school.
As the Teen Rental Assistance Program coordinator, Mary Kittrell takes her job - placing teens with jobs - further than the job description warrants. She sincerely cares about the kids and their success in the workplace.
``She's a real nice, down-to-earth person,'' said Teresa Cowell, an employee in the program. ``She's easy to get along with, easy to communicate with, helpful and gives good advice.''
Cowell recalled one meeting when Kittrell was explaining how to balance a checking account. Kittrell didn't want anyone leaving the meeting unless they understood.
``She sat down individually and even called us to make sure everything was OK,'' Cowell said. ``She gave us her home number.''
As part of the job, Kittrell, a resident of Diggs Town herself, checks up every day on the 21 employees who are spread out between Grandy Village, Young Terrace, Diggs Town and Bowling Green. She planned twice-monthly meetings with them, handed out survival kits with tips on how to be a responsible employee, had T-shirts made and even organized a pool party.
When people walk past Kittrell, they smile, shake their heads pleasingly and comment:
``Mrs. Kittrell, those boys are good . . . those boys are good.''
Kittrell proudly accepts these comments as if they were talking about her own child.
``I feel I'm a role model for them,'' Kittrell said.
Kittrell's devotion to these children stems from her personal experiences. She grew up in the projects, dropped out of school and lost confidence in herself.
``I've always been a complainer,'' Kittrell said in retrospect. ``I never thought I could do it.''
Her road to recovery was long. With the goal of becoming a probation officer or counselor, Kittrell went back to school and took business skills classes.
Once she heard of this job opening, she immediately applied for it, hoping to encourage children to take advantage of the opportunities this program provided.
However, she still harbored some doubt in her abilities.
``Can I do this?'' she remembers asking herself, nervous at the responsibility this job would entail.
No one else had doubts.
``The best way I can put it is she's the right person for this job,'' said Joanne Jones, recreation supervisor for Norfolk Parks and Recreation. ``She's done an outstanding job on this program. She's very committed to what she's doing.''
On a recent afternoon, while making her rounds, Kittrell explained the pleasure of waking up in the morning, looking out her window and seeing ``her kids'' raking leaves, sweeping the sidewalks or painting a porch.
``It feels so good to see them working,'' she said before breaking out into that grin that ``her kids'' have come to know so well. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Mary Kittrell interviews a teen for a job at Bowling Green.
by CNB