- Central Office
- Homepage
A-TEAAM Celebrates Young Authors
A-TEAAM Celebrates Young Authors
It was an inspirational event to celebrate newly published sixth-grade authors from Nichols and Huey Porter Middle Schools in the Canton Public School District. They were honored during the Ambassadors of the Evers Academy for African-American Males (A-TEAAM )Awards Ceremony and Book Unveiling held April 24, 2016, at the JSU Student Center Ballroom. During the program, the book I!CAN Imagine: Voices of A-TEAAM Young Authors was unveiled.
The work is written by young males of color in the A-TEAAM mentoring program.“The writings and lessons-learned in this publication, I!CAN Imagine, are ones we hope will help to inspire other young males of color,” said Juanita Sims Doty.
The national mentoring program aims to inspire young males of color as they honor the life and live the legacy of Medgar Evers while interacting with a “village” of role models and mentors. The A-TEAAM National Mentoring Initiative has mentored more than 250 young males for the past four years.
Each year, A-TEAAM ambassadors vote on an Ambassador of the Year who has exemplified the A-TEAAM traits of leadership, a positive attitude, and one who has faithfully participated in all A-TEAAM sessions. Regions Bank awarded each winner with a bicycle.
The 2016 CPSD Ambassadors of the Year are:
• Kelvin Woodruff-Nichols Middle School
• Amari Dixon-Huey Porter Middle School
Nichols Middle School A-TEAAM Members:
Kelvin Woodruff, Jabrian Henderson, Nichols Miller, Rondarius Davis, JaCarlos Brown, Jalen Travis, Micah Warfield, Calvin Willis, K'Cy Jones
Huey Porter Middle School A-TEAAM Members:
Mareco Baldwin, Cedraurous Brock,Amari Dixon, Tyler Fields, Samrion Fowler, Jacob Johnson, Christopher Lewis, Joe Martin, Aston Rose, Rickey Slaughter, Jr., Barron Small
Amari Dixon says he is honored to be selected as Porter Middle School's Ambassador of the Year. "I will strive to always exhibit good character, make wise choices and study hard to get a good education so I can make a difference in my community and the world. I am so thankful to have been a part of this program."
Myrlie Evers said, "To see a sense of pride, strength, and determination come from these young boys, to see how they've changed the perception of self, those are the most rewarding things to have come from this program."
Ambassadors from Blackburn, Hardy, and Powell Middle Schools in the Jackson Public School District were also recognized during this program.
Special guests on the program included Myrlie Evers, the widow of Mississippi civil rights icon Medgar Evers; Canton Public School District Superintendent Cassandra Williams, Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Cedrick Gray; and Drema Woldman, National President of the Top Ladies of Distinction. Canton Mayor Arnel Bolden and Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber served as Honorary Chairmen. Meridian Mayor Percy Bland and City of Jackson First Lady Rosalind Yarber also participated in the unveiling of the student-authored book.
About the A-TEAAM
What began as a pilot program in two middle schools has now become a National Mentoring Program. The Medgar & Myrlie Evers Institute and the Juanita Sims Doty Foundation have partnered with the Top Ladies of Distinction (TLOD), a national service organization with aligned goals and values and who has 109 chapters across the United States. This partnership was launched during the TLOD 50th Anniversary celebration in Houston, TX in October, 2014. On January 29, 2015 the JSD Foundation facilitated a “Train the Trainer” two-day session for five new A-TEAAM –TLOD Coordinators that began A-TEAAM programs in their respective areas: Houston, TX, Cincinnati, OH, Inglewood, CA, East St. Louis, IL, and Washington, D.C. TLOD anticipates implementing the A-TEAAM in 10 additional sites beginning, October 2016.
Additionally, Mayor Percy Bland and First Lady Deidre Bland of Meridian, MS have gotten approval from the Meridian Public Schools to start an A-TEAAM-Meridian. Mr. Duane Lightfoot, Dr. Charlos Thompson and the Board of the Bridging the Gap Learning Academy in Louisville, KY will be launching A-TEAAM-Kentucky in 2016.Thompson and the Board of the Bridging the Gap Learning Academy in Louisville, KY will be launching A-TEAAM-Kentucky in 2016.
Based on information received from evaluation instruments completed by the young males (Ambassadors), parents, teachers and mentors the following results were noted:
• 93% reportedly gave their best efforts
• 51% learned they could be whatever they wanted to be
• 87% increased school attendance
• 84% had noticeably positive behavioral changes
(Teachers reported that the young men were not as talkative, more out spoken, easier to re-direct, showed more confidence)
• 100% of the students reportedly benefited from seeing and interacting with many types of Black people
Ultimately, the results provided, via the evaluation tools, demonstrated that the students were inspired by the A-TEAAM movement and thus are beginning to have a stronger foundation that will offer a better quality of life.