An unknown author once wrote that children learn what they live. If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn. If a child learns with hostility, he learns to fight. If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight. If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.

But if a child lives with encouragement, he lives with confidence. If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice. If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.

Groups like the King’s Kids of America, Inc. hope to help more and more children live with the positive aspects of life. That’s why they’ve spent over a decade bringing the outreach program to inner-city youths ages 4-15 to help them enrich themselves as people through the use of field trips, community projects, picnics, sports and social events, spiritual training and other tools.

&uot;We teach children about being a whole person,&uot; said King’s Kids executive director Betty Knight. &uot;Mentally, physically and socially, we teach them to be better people.&uot;

On Monday afternoon, she and local car dealer Mike Duman, on behalf of District One of the Virginia Independent Auto Dealers Association (VIADA), gave some of the children rewards for their hard work.

Since the weather looks to be improving soon, it may be the last chance kids have this summer to hit the beach. That’s why Knight and Duman handed out sand buckets filled with useful information for the youths. The buckets were filled with Virginia Beach taffy, seashells, plastic shovels, and a piece of the city’s history.

Duman, the VIADA District One president-elect and Ken Strauss of the Tidewater Auto Auction, the District vice-president, presented the buckets.

&uot;I’ve been to several of the King’s Kids annual meetings, and I always found it to be a worthwhile activity,&uot; said Duman, whose business has been involved with the King’s Kids for three years and takes part in its annual Christmas toy drive. &uot;They’re really good about finding activities for kids that might be getting in trouble with idle time. They take the kids on field trips and give them other guidance to keep them from doing things that they shouldn’t be doing.&uot;

jason.norman@suffolknewsherald.com