My Story

I am a post grad at south Kent and I play basketball. Growing up it was always tough because I was expected to be the best at everything and I wanted to go to south Kent to help me succeed. Moving to south Kent is a big deal because it is not close to home and I’m leaving all my friends and family. The first week of being at south Kent it was really different from my old school but the people here are great the teachers are amazing. People are very nice and welcoming the teachers are not here to just make money they are her to make us better in every aspect of school. The food is also great but I’m 2 weeks in and I already miss my mom home cooked meals. Sometimes I get mad because I want to go home and hang with my family but I know that I’m here on the mission.

photo by Sharon scaife

Spring break

My spring break was great! Honestly it was so good I didn’t want to come back. Being back in Dallas is actually really fun because I got to see a lot of my family and friends. I got to see my all my nephews it was crazy fun I spent the night over there house and we went to a drive in movie and we saw a movie about a girl that goes to a different world to find her dad. The next day we went into a big indoor water park called epic there was big and fast rides there.THen the rest of my break I hung out with my best friend and my little brother, and I had so much fun with both of them then I got to see my long time friend Katherine and overall it was a great break and I can’t forget that I got to hang with my mom and we made memories.

A little about me

In the last two years, I have been involved with several non-profit organizations within my community. Since 2010, I have been a member of the Advisory Council for Teen Graffiti magazine. My duties include participating in monthly meetings, volunteering for community service projects, getting other teens involved through submitting their concerns and opinions on issues affecting them.

Since 2014, I have participated on the Garland Branch NAACP Youth Council. Through my participation on the Youth Council, I get the opportunity to volunteer for several events and activities hosted by the NAACP including the Freedom Fund Banquet, Excel Awards, Image Awards, Scholar Athlete Recognition Program, the MLK, Jr. Parade, Health Fair, Back to School Rally and the Winter Ball.

Throughout the months of October and November, I volunteer with Buddy League of Garland. My responsibilities include being a partner (buddy) with a special needs child for the day. I am responsible for assisting the child with learning to play baseball. We have batting practice, run the bases, catch balls, talk and have an enjoyable time. I do whatever it takes to make the kids have the most fun day possible. In October, I also volunteer with Texas Hike for Life in its mission to help area Crisis Pregnancy Centers to continue their life saving mission.

At various time during the year, I regularly volunteer at several food pantries and food banks within the North Texas area: The Stewpot’s Second Chance Café, Minnie’s Food Pantry, The North Texas Food Bank, and The Wilkinson’s Food Pantry. At the Stewpot, I help prepare and serve breakfast to the homeless in downtown Dallas. At The Wilkinson’s Food Pantry, my job is to check clients in and be their personal assistant while they do their grocery shopping. Some clients I have to assist them with getting their groceries to their cars as well. At the food banks, my responsibilities include unloading food trucks, sorting and inspecting the food, and packing crates of food to be distributed to other smaller food banks and pantries.

At Mt. Hebron Missionary Baptist Church, I participate in True Praise, our Youth Ministry. We do regular volunteering at several events sponsored by the church to help those in the community. One major event of True Praise is Kids Across America (KAA) Program. This program’s mission is to build Christian leaders by encouraging, equipping, and empowering urban youth and their mentors through camping and education. Grandparent’s Day, a day dedicated to senior citizens as they celebrate grandparent’s day.

I have received several awards and honors because of my participation in community organizations: the Garland NAACP Image Award (2015 & 2016); the Kids Across America Champions Award (2014 &2015); the Kids Across America Most Athletic Award (2014); the Garland NAACP’s Scholar/Athlete Recognition Program (2016).

Fear

I have a fear, I have a fear that most people can relate too. My fear is letting my parents down. Letting my parents down is my biggest fear because if you do, you would have things coming through your mind about them not loving you or them not wanting you anymore. Since i was little my dad use to push me in everything i did he used to buy every little thing for me to use to be successful in basketball, and not doing everything it takes to prove that i can be great will haunt me for life. My mom even has big dreams of me doing good in school academically and if i don’t all the hard work my mom put in me will go to waste. So it’s not the fear of failing because we have to learn how to make mistakes and fail to succeed in anything in life, because if you are not afraid to fail you are not afraid of anything.

My favorite book

My favorite book Is the outsiders it’s about going through the life of a group of teens that over come there troubles. Ponyboy Curtis is the narrator of this story, and it is through his eyes that everything unfolds. No adults figure prominently in this novel Pony and his two brothers are living on their own because their parents were recently killed in an car accident. But this story focuses only on teens and the book has a emotional hold on the reader because of the struggles the characters face. This novel is set in the 1960s in Oklahoma. So it’s basically set back in the day.The book also has references that allow you to determine the era are cultural popular musicians, television shows, and models of cars. This novel is set in the 1960s in Oklahoma. The time period of the story is the same as the actual time it was written. The references that allow the reader to determine the era are cultural: popular musicians, television shows, and models of cars. I️ love this book because I.T will always keep you on your toes and there is never a dull moment in the book.

A little of my interest in life

I have a great interest and enjoy participating in school activities, especially athletics. These activities not only give me something to do but they also motivate me to be the best student I can be. Participating in school and community activities also helps me build my social and communication skills. At Bishop Lynch High School, I am a point and shooting guard for the men’s varsity basketball team and a high jumper for the varsity track team.  As a result of my playing basketball on the Bishop Lynch Team, I received the following awards and honors in the last two years: 3-Year Letterman; Most Valuable Player, 2016; Top Rebounder, 2016; 1-5A All-District Team (2nd Team), 2016; and All-Tournament Team (Houston Christian), 2015.  In addition to playing basketball at school, I also played on several AAU traveling teams in the last two years – Texas Elite Adidas 17U, Proskills, Deron Williams Elite and Hardwood Elite. In 2015, I was selected to participate in the John Lucas 40/40 Combine (Invitation Only). Other honors include:  Scouts Focus Elite 80 State Ranking #32 (2014) and Premier Basketball 2017 Players to Watch. In the future, I plan to attend more basketball camps to improve my skills and elevate my playing level. I also anticipate playing with an AAU Team.I️ also enjoy volunteering at local food pantries and homeless shelters to help with people in need. I sometimes volunteer at places all around Dallas that help with kids all ages with their homework or projects. When I volunteer at homeless shelters I usually help give out food or if it’s the Holidays I help give out nice gifts.

Mentally strong

“The point in which you feel like you cant do anything else in life, is the point in which you push your hardest”. I am a hard worker, and I will not give up no matter what. If I mess up, I will figure out a way to fix the problem. I am courageous, I am not afraid of a challenge, I will always accept a challenge that I feel will take me to the next level. I come from a family of pushers. People who love to push and challenge family members to be the best they can be in all areas of their lives.  They love to see our family grow and succeed in life. When individuals are struggling to the point that they want to give up, there is a group of pushers who offer encouraging words and smiles that help them continue to work hard for their goals. I think that’s what shapes me as a person because I am a tough man who has been through many struggles.  Because of love and encouragement of my family, I continue to push forward!

No shame

Today someone very important today told me that they are not comfortable being themselves around anyone. Honestly when they told me that I was mad, because they didn’t like themselves. I told them to sit down and let’s talk, we sat down and I said that only you knows your worth, and if you think that people are not gonna like you for who you are your crazy. All people are different in many ways but we have one thing in common. We as individuals that are made out of love Jesus took time to make every aspect of us no matter how long it takes. God is the creator of all things, he put everyone on the earth to share his word. He wanted everyone to spread peace and happiness. But the problem is is that society today makes people think that they are not worth anything in the world.It shouldn’t matter what you look like what you smell like how you talk or anything we should always spread peace to everyone to make the world a better place.

Waiting for the season

Basketball season, the anticipation is building up for the start of the season. In my family we are really big on sports any sports, but the biggest sport that we love is basketball. WNBA, NBA it doesn’t matter we watch every game all the time. Most of everyone in my family has played basketball, basketball is our getaway to everything all our problems. For me basketball is my first love and basketball is something that I’m really good at and something that will keep me out of trouble. It’s my dream to play with or play against my favorite stars in the NBA, one day Ininwant to make it to the league so I can make a change in the world. I want to give back to the less unfortunate and help out in food banks with the money I get. The chances of people getting drafted is a slim number but I’m going to work as hard as I can to get where I want to go.

Lonzo Ball

All of Lonzo balls life he has been in the light of Fame he has had eyes on him since he was born he has 2 brothers and the youngest is lamelo and the second youngest is the liangelo. They are all known for there basketball skills on the court, the main reason for people to come see them is there dad, Lavar. Lavar is a iconic father he draws so much attention to his self just by the things he says, he says that he could beat Jordan in a one on one, he also says that his son Lonzo will make the lakers go to the playoffs. But all in all lavar ball is a great dad because he believes in all of his sons that they all can be the best and he is a great husband to his wife.