Penn Center’s 42nd Heritage Days celebration puts focus on teaching, empowering the next generation

ST. HELENA ISLAND, S.C. (WTOC) - Food, activities, and time spent together at the historic Penn Center are bringing people together for the 42nd annual Heritage Days celebration, with a focus on passing on Gullah Geechee and African American history and culture to younger generations.Students from across Beaufort County visited the center on St. Helena Island for activities ranging from face painting and crochet to a Gullah Geechee-themed game. Organizers hope the lessons will carry on to the next generation.The Penn Center was founded as a school in 1862 and now serves as a place to learn about Gullah Geechee and African American culture and history. Executive Director Robert Adams said educating young people remains central to its mission.“The youth have always been the key element of that. You know, because when it started as a school, it started with the youth, educating the youth for the future that was coming,” Adams said. “That’s what Penn Center stands for, and that’s what we h