Baseball phenom pursues another dream
BY LAYLA GARMS
THE CHRONICLE ___
Christian "CJ" Beatty is already embark
ing on his second career at the age of 25 .
After three years of traveling around the
country to address audiences of every age and
persuasion, Beatty, a native of Winston
Salem, launched his own public speaking
firm, Motivational Nuggets, earlier this year.
"My heart is attached to it," he said of
motivational speaking. "I genuinely care for
others' happiness. I want everybody to be able
to feel good about themselves."
Through his YouTube channel,
www.youtube.com/motivationalnuggets,
Beatty, the oldest of four children, regularly
posts inspirational messages and recordings of
1115 SpCiUklllg VU?ClgV
ments at various venues,
from Wake Forest
University to the
University of Virginia.
"My biggest dream in
life is to be able to look
back and have somebody
else quoting my quotes,"
he said, "because words
live forever."
Although becoming a
nationally known motiva
tional speaker now tops his list, it is uie sec
ond dream job Beatty has pursued. Three
years ago, he was headed for the big leagues.
"That was my goal and dream, to be a
Major League baseball player. I didn't want
nothing else," he stated. "But now 1 have a dif
ferent goal in mind. My long term goal is to be
a motivational speaker, and I want to do that
more than 1 want to be a Major League player.
I want to be known for my words more than
my ability."
He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals
in 2009 when he was a junior at the North
Carolina A&T State University. Beatty said he
felt he had his whole life figured out. Living
the dream was a brief reality for Beatty; he
was cut from the team in spring 2011.
"My ability got me to the Cardinals, but
what I was lacking at the time was just the
mental toughness to stay there," confessed
Beatty, now 25. "...I left A&T thinking 1 was
going to be in the big leagues within the next
two years, so when it hit me that 1 got
released. I had a dumbfounded look on my
face. I was at a loss for words on that drive
back from (spring training in) West Palm
Beach to Winston-Salem."
Beatty's professional baseball career is far
from over, he continues to play to this day, but
being derailed from the fast track to the Major
Leagues was still a major blow for Beatty,
who had dreamed of suiting up for the Majors
since he was a boy.
"I knew me making it to the Major League
I K. a MB
was going to deliver a lot of people, not just
me and my family," said Beatty, who currently
plays fpr the Washington (Pa.) Wild Things.
"So when that opportunity slipped through my
hands, it was almost like 'Whoa.' I didn't
know what to think."
At the time, being released from the team
was an embarrassment and a disappointment
for Beatty. but in hindsight, he says it was an
important turning point in his life and his
career. He says his firsthand experience in fac
ing challenges and setbacks has helped him to
relate to his audiences on a whole new level.
"Looking back now, I'm so thankful for
that opportunity for that to happen." he said. "I
look at the Cardinals with no remorse."
Last year. Beatty accepted an invitation to
play for a team in Australia. It was a welcome
hiatus from the daily grind of life at home, and
a much-needed opportunity for Beany to do
some real soul searching. He returned to the
States in April, armed with a vision that was
soon to become Motivational Nuggets.
Though the company is still in its infancy.
Beany said business has been good so far.
"It's fallen into place like my life is
already done and I'm just walking in the foot
steps," he declared. "I come up with an idea
and it just exponentially grows into something
else."
Shelia Burnette, principal of Konnoak
Elementary School, has witnessed the evolu
tion of Beatty's career. Beatty first visited the
school in 2010, when he spoke about his base
ball career and encouraged the youngsters to
pursue their own dreams. It was one of his
first speaking engagements, and Burnette said
Beatty, who now serves as a behavioral sup
port assistant at Konnoak, made an impression
on the students even then.
"He's a strong person that stands with
character," she declared. "He just has a can-do
spirit that's pervasive and I think the students
are starting to want to follow that."
Although it is his second career, Burnette
said she believes speaking is Beatty's best gig
yet.
"I'm definitely a fan of his athletic success
and ability, but that's just not what you see
first when you see him. It's the inside and it's
the heart, and that's the road that leads to the
success that we have in life - nothing but good
can come from that kind of demeanor," she
said. . .1 think he has a lot to offer, and while
we never want to see him leave Konnoak. we
also think that his gift is greater than our walls
can hold."
For more information about Motivational
Nuggets, visit wwwrjbeattyxrom, call 336
391-3710 or email
moti vationalnuggets? gmail com.
Shelia Burnt tie
Submitted Photo (above)
Photo by Layla Garms (left)
On the field or elsewhere, CJ. Beatty is
always at his best.
Layoffs
part of
Bennett's
budget plan
Enrollment down
at Greensboro school
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
Bennett College President
Rosalind Fuse-Hall convened a
town hall meeting last week to
advise faculty and staff of the
school's plan to address an
operating budget shortfall
caused by a decline in enroll
ment.
Her
comments
reiterated
points she
has made
previously
and had j
discussed,
in generali
ties, with
the campus
communi
ty
Bennett is taking a series ot
proactive steps to tackle the
budget constraints, she said,
including reducing its work
force. Nine positions - eight
full-time and one part-time -
will be cut. Bennett employs a
total of 198 faculty and staff.
"Like all of higher educa
tion, declining enrollment and
shrinking federal assistance has
adversely impacted the
College; however, our future
looks bright and with increased
support, students will enroll,
progress, graduate and contin
ue our legacy of Belles leading
in their respective communi
ties," said Fuse-Hall, who is in
her first year as Bennett's pres
ident.
Bennett's enrollment has
been down in recent years and
stands at about 730 students.
Fuse-Hall says that one of her
goals is to raise the school's
enrollment to 1,000.
i
Fust-Hall
GED
from page Al
said Harris, an alumnus of North
Carolina A&T State University.
"They'll be more rigorous, more
relevant, and that's the best way to
meet 21st Century standards."
Those who have not completed
all five components of the existing
test series by Dec. 31 will be
required to start over under the
new curriculum. As a result,
Forsyth Tech has seen an influx of
test-takers in recent months.
Harris said 1,200 people in
Forsyth and Stokes counties are
expected to take the test before the
new standards are adopted. The
community college has added
a/isiitinrtal fimpc to
accommodate those
who are already work
ing on their GED under
the current standards.
Forsyth Tech's last ori
entation session will be
held on Dec. 2, and the
final GED test under
the current standards,
which were adopted in
2002, will be held on
Dec. 18.
?-* -M : a
raper ana pencil ucu icsis
will be a thing of the past come
January, when the Pearson VUE
testing company will transition all
GED exams to computerized for
mats. Testing fees will increase
from $35 to $120 for the full bat
fcry of tests.
'x Fred Bazemore, director of
Program & Agency Operations at
Experiment in Self Reliance,
Relieves the increase in test fees
will present an obstacle for com
munity members who don't have
ftccess to supportive services to
help them offset the cost and for
service providers like ESR, which
has partnered with Forsyth Tech to
offer GED test prep courses for
more than three decades.
"It's something we hate seeing
because as a nonprofit, it hits us in
the pocket a little bit," said
Bazemore, an ESR employee for
the past 10 years. "...It's just
another obstacle for those who are
wanting to achieve economic self
sufficiency."
The increase in test fees won't
dissuade the agency from helping
its clients, Bazemore said. ESR
will continue to assist its clients in
covering fees for the GED, which
Bazemore says is a key compo
nent in reaching a higher econom
ic plane.
Harris said Forsyth Tech,
which currently offers OED test
preparation classes to more than
3,500 students at more than 20
sites in Forsyth and Stokes coun
ties. is alreaidy preparing for the
myriad changes the new program
will entail. The community col
lege is developing courses that
will incorporate computer literacy
elements to help those who aren't
familiar with computers to prepare
for the test next year, and is work
ing to secure funding to offset the
cost increase for those who are
hardest hit by the increase. Hams
said.
"We don't care if you don't
know anything about a computer."
he said. "I'm going to make sure
you know what you need
10 Know.
Bazemore, a
Winston-Salem Stale
University alumnus, said
the move to computer
ized testing will help
those who plan to further
their education at a two
or four-year institution
to reach their goals
faster Despite the chal
lenges it presents. ESR
is excited about the roll
out of the new GED program:
Bazemore said it presents a prime
opportunity for the agency to
remind its clients and staff of the
importance of rising to the occa
sion when obstacles present them
selves.
"We adjust and we adapt. We
encourage our clients to not allow
barriers that arise now or down the
road to deter them from their
goals of being economically self
sufficient," he said. "Change is
inevitable in anything you do. and
we preach that to our clients, to
always be prepared for change*
Forsyth Tech has a long track
record of preparing students to be
successful on the GED tests
through its test prep courses, and
that won't change. Harris said. He
implored those in the community
who want to get their GED not to
let the increase stand in their way.
"Yes, it's going to affect them
with the $120 (fee), but look what
it's going to do for them in the
long run," he said of test-takers.
"If they get it, it's worth it."
Although, the transition will
take some getting used to, Harris
said it represents an important
new era in education.
"It's not the ending," he said.
"It's the beginning of something
new."
Schoenbach
rr\ *
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