Photo Voice was a focused project using photo images to capture aspects of a student’s environment that promoted the realities of the students’ lives and insights to make their voices heard via the lens of their camera. The Photo Voice project provided each middle school Day Treatment students and the Day Treatment staff with the chance to learn photography. They also had the opportunity to view the community they live in through a new “lens” that will be a source of empowerment toward positive mental health and wellness. 

The Day Treatment Center and Mental Health Director, Dr. Nancy Turner, purchased the cameras with grant funding. Turner received the grant money, which was donated by Elevation Church, through the Rock Hill Schools Education Foundation.

The 12 students in our Day Treatment Center received those digital cameras and worked daily with a retired professional photographer to learn about using a camera and taking meaningful pictures. Winthrop Social Work interns also worked with each student to determine a “theme” to capture aspects of the student’s interests, as well as worked on “captions” for these photos.  Students choose three of their best photos, created captions for their photos, and had the photos matted and framed with their captions.

The students’ photos and captions are displayed at the Rock Hill Bakhita Art Gallery/Banon Hall at St. Mary Catholic Church, starting on May 17, 2023, We invite the community to view their Photo Voice photos.

Click here to hear what the students thought about the project: