Marshall says sports can help school kids
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"If we have something for
them to do it would help keep
them out of trouble, Marshall
says. "It would give us a leg up
in managing student conduct. I
think it could also motivate
them to stay in school and
improve their grades.".
The local system stopped
intercollegiate sports participa
tion in middle schools in 1984
after the local schools were
grouped into K-5, 6-8 and 9-12
grades. Up until two years ago
there was no athletic competi
tion in the middle schools
(grades 6-8). They decided to go
with limited sports after Mar
shall presented a proposal to
sponsor athletic teams in middle
schools a little over two years
ago.
; Marshall proposed that the
system go back to its format that
it used for junior high schools
where they sponsored teams in
volleyball, basketball, football,
baseball and track. The proposal
did not receive enough support
to pass, but as a compromise the
board voted to bring back vol
leyball, basketball and track to
the middle schools.
Although Marshall said the
vote was not totally racially
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overtones to it.
"A lot of it had to do with
the fact that as a rule white kids
are not participating in football
and they didn't see the need to
support something as expensive
as football when they could go
another route," Marshall said.
According to figures given
to him by Jim Bovender, who
heads the system's athletic
department, it would cost in
excess of $300,000.00 the first
year to put football back in the
rpiddle schools. Although he
says that figure might seem
Ijigh, it is a small price to pay to
get some students back on track.
"It is not a racial issue in
anH of itcplf Kut rioht now foot.
V1 "51" ,,v" tvv?
ball has become a predomi
nately black sport among the
young kids," Marshall says.
"The white community has
embraced soccer. I think if that
community was really con
cerned about behavior and moti
vating the entire student-body of
middle schools they would sup
4>ort it. It's not going to solve all
JjC the problems, but I do know
3hfct it gives incentive.
Z' l Marshall says that when you
3<4>k at it, it is a situation of pay
ing now or paying more later.
"For a number of years we
? have seen the figures on what it
costs to incarcerate someone for
a year," Marshall says. "That
? figure exceeds $25,000.00 a
? year. It costs a lot less to send a
i student to college. I look at this
as a preventative measure. If we
I can get the right type of pro
! grams in place in our system I
think it would cut down on the
number of kids that will eventu
; ally go into the criminal justice
; system. I'm not saying that it is
; a cure-all, but I think it would
; help to cut down on a lot of
; problems that we are facing
' today in our school system.
"I believe this will help the
school system in the long run,"
Marshall says. "Sure its going to
cost us a lot initially, but I think
it will help in building character
in our students. That's one of
the best ways to reach many of
our young men."
Church to hold
Mens Day
celebration
New Smith Grove Baptist
Church, Lexington N.C., will
hold its annual Men's Day, Feb.
16at3p.m
The Rev. B. Wellington
Moseley, Associate minister of
Union Baptist Church, Winston
Salem and Interim pastor of Fel
lowship Baptist church, will
deliver the message. The, host
pastor is the Rev. Ronnie Stew
art.
When Marshall brought
forth his proposal originally, the
biggest hurdles that he had to
climb were those centered
around funding. But there were
also concerns about the facili
ties, lack of trained coaches and
the problem of transportation.
Marshall says all of these
problems can be worked out if
given time. Bovender has gotten
quotes on the approximate cost
of equipment, preparing facili
ties, coaching suppliments and
transportation.
According to documents
supplied to Marshall, the total
cost of brining football back to
middle schools would be
$301,270.35. The, vast majority
of that figure ($160,700.00)
would be the cost of field prepa
ration. the next biggest expendi
ture, $67,475.15, would be for
equipment. Marshall says both
of these expenditures could be
cut considerably if the local
high schools helped in the
process. But even if they didn't
those figures are not excessively
high for fielding 12 teams with
approximately 35 players.
The next biggest expendi
ture would be for coaches
($26,013.30). Marshall says that
Forsyth County community has
an adequate pool from which to
choose, even if many of them
are not currently in the school
system.
The bottom line, according
archall ic nnttinn intoroct in I
IV 1T1UI JIIUII, IO ^ViUllg IIIIVIV3I 111
the community.
"I don't see this as a
panacea for all of the problems
that we face, but this is certainly
a good place to start," Marshall
says. "The thing that we have to
do is to get the community to
see that this would have far
reaching effects on it. There is
nothing like sports that can
teach young men the importance
of teamwork and working
together for a common goal.
They would become better indi
viduals through competition."
Waller Marshall
Youth Entrepreneur Symposium to be held in Greensboro
The National Coalition for
Empowering Youth Entrepre
neurs will sponsor the 36th
National Entrepreneur Sympo
sium, March 25-28 at the Holi
day Inn Four Seasons Conven
tion Center in Greensboro,
N.C. The symposium is being
organized and hosted by the
Cooperative Extension Pro
gram at North Carolina A&T
State University.
The symposium will pro
vide technical assistance to
teen entrepreneurs, youth (13
19) who are seriously inter
ested in starting a business,
and adult professionals and
i ? i ?
volunteers interested in entre
preneurial programs for youth.
Thirty-six seminars will be
offered in three sessions during
the tenure of the conference.
Skill development seminars are
designed for those wanting to
improve knowledge. Sessions
include hands-on activities
providing foundations, basic
concepts and skills needed for
operating and becoming a suc
cess, working with people, and
creating business ventures.
Sessions titles include Conflict
Resolution, Customer Rela
tions and Entrepreneur Readi
ness.
Other highlights include a
welcome reception, youth
entrepreneurs forums, keynote
speakers, networking, business
tours, nightly entertainment, a
talent show, exhibits, a Teen
Vendors Market Place and fine
dining and Southern hospital
ity.
The opening keynote will
be teen oratorical sensation
Ayinde Shomari Couvil Jean
Baptiste, the young Chicagoan
who permanently wrote his
name in the history books of
tomorrow by becoming the
youngest speaker at the 1996
Million Man March.
A J ? ? ? *
/\yinue nas Deen privileged
to speak at churches and events
around the Chicago area that
have featured such speakers as
the Rev. Jesse Jackson, mem
bers of the late Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr's. family, and
Presidents Bill Clinton and
Aristide, among many others.
His oratorical flare has also
landed him on such shows as
"The Oprah Winfrey Show,"
"Chicago Remembers King,"
"The Today Show," and a
cameo role in the movie "Get
On the Bus" by producer Spike
Lee. Ayinde's captivating
speech at the 4th National
Youth Entrepreneur Sympo- ,
sium in Long Beach, Calif.,
earned him the distinct privi
lege and honor of becoming
the first speaker to be invited
back to deliver the opening
keynote address at the premier
symposium.
This annual Youth Entre
preneur Symposium began in
Baltimore, Md., in 1993. Since
that time it has been held in
Memphis, Tenn. (1994);
Chicago, 111. (1995), and Long
Beach, Calif. (1996).
Participation is limited to
the first 600 registrants! So
don't delay, register today by
calling (919) 286-9758.
Internet address:
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/b
ae/people/faculty/mclymore
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Dance my babies.
Dance.
No work for you.
No fear.
Laugh and shimmy.
From your twirling feet
to the tickled fancy of
the sweet trusting dreams
you keep.
No pain.
No grown-up rain.
Know it not.
Dance long. Dance free.
As you should.
As it should be.
This Is Your Time To Dance.
As the African proverb goes, no tree can flourish
without roots. And as AT&T celebrates Black History
Month, we continue to support organizations that
work on behalf of children, like The Children s
Defense Fund and California s Children Now. By
giving our children a good foundation, we re helping
to give them the freedom to discover and enjoy the
rich cultural legacies that strengthen for life
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