Our Evolution

  • In February of 1986 the Research Education & Literacy Association (RELA, Inc.) was founded by Ted L. Mangum and Atty. Oliver Earl Atwater, Sr. with financial and logistical support from Atty. William Steve Allen, Sr. in Greensboro, NC.

  • August of 1987, RELA students broadcast their first TV show, Gate City View, an educational/informational show about community businesses, programs, agencies and educational institutions. This was followed by another show, Teens on the Scene, an on location production of events and activities throughout North Carolina. About a year and a half later, RELA students added Quest for Answers, a round table youth discussion (along with adult experts in many diverse fields) concerning issues effecting youth, everyday issues, and events in today’s world.

  • November of 1988, RELA began to purchase and distribute new books for children throughout the Greensboro/Guilford County community. Over the next 6 years; RELA purchased and distributed over 6,000 new books. Community children were then invited to appear on RELA’s Gate City View telecast to give book reports to the community. The American Library Association (ALA) and the Reading is Fundamental (RIF) program recognized RELA with national literacy awards.

  • RELA (Research, Education, & Literacy Asociation) officially changed it’s name to RELAY (Research, Education, & Literacy Association for Youth).

    August 1990 RELAY students began the first live production and telecast of Greensboro City Council Meetings, allowing them to not only perform their civic duties, but more importantly it allowed RELAY students to enhance their civic and governmental knowledge. Additionally, this move saved the City of Greensboro hundreds of thousands of dollars over the three year period, based on what the city had paid the previous producer who broadcasted a delayed production.

    October 1990, RELAY students started an internship program that allowed RELAY students 12-18 years of age, to assist in the evening newscast for WGHPiedmont (WGHP) TV-8 (ABC affiliate). Additionally, RELAY students assisted with the live production and telecast of several WGHP Telethons (including the United Cerebral Palsy and the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra). RELAY students also played a major video taping and production role in the weekly telecast of WGHP’s weekly gospel show, Gospel Expo.

  • In November 1991, RELAY’s founder received the Z. Smith Reynolds’ Annual Nancy Susan Reynolds Award for “Community Change”. In addition, awards for youth involvement and development from the Greensboro Chapter NAACP and the Order of Eastern Star were also rewarded the same year.

    RELAY students completed several other projects for the City of Greensboro including the training video for the city’s new telephone system and a certification video for Greensboro Police Department’s national accreditation.

  • From 1995-1998, RELAY founder, Ted Mangum and several former RELAY students introduced the RELAY concept and traveled throughout the state of Mississippi working with the Southern Regional Head Start Program and North Carolina Central University to produce documentaries on black child care in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

  • RELAY underwent another name change as it evolved to become AmericasCHILD RELAY. The introduction of AmericasCHILD (Children’s Health Issues, Literacy & Development), implemented an anti-smoking program (No Puffing) that effectively integrated with the existing literacy and skills development RELAY became known for.

    In 1999 Ted Mangum introduced the AmericasCHILD RELAY program through the Durham, (NC) School System at Omuteko Gwamaziima Charter School as a curriculum course. The program operated from 1999 through 2007, with community access TV production broadcast beginning in 2001 and lasting until 2007 in Durham and 2004-2007 over Chapel Hill’s “The People’s Channel” community access network, receiving the 2006 award for “Youth Programming” and over 130 telecasts.

  • In August 2005, the AmericasCHILD RELAY program was included in curriculum of Brisbane Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina.

  • We reach our newest phase in this evolution as we reinvent ourselves as AmericasCHILD RELAY Next Generation, also known as RELAY Next.

    No longer a self-standing nonprofit, we share the RELAY framework with other nonprofits with our proven methodologies while presenting updated opportunities for youth success through new and exciting diversified experiences.