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Don't Believe the HYPE! CELEBRITY BOWL-A-THON
MY TRUTH By Cheryl Smith Publisher
DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!
GARLAND JOURNAL
Garland
JOURNAL By Betheny Sargent
Betheny Sargent
See MY TRUTH, page 6
JUNE 20, 2018
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VOL XVII ISSUE 21 JUNE 20, 2018
A perspective on education Millennials and the Classroom: What we Face and Fear as Educators
When you have a good thing, you’d better hold on to it and treat it right. Isn’t that the recurring theme in a number of “love” songs? In preparation for the 24th annual Cheryl Smith’s Don’t Believe the Hype Celebrity Bowl-a-thon there were some moments of hesitancy. You see, in 1995 at the first scholarship fundraisers, comedian/activist/ humanitarian/nutritionist and all around good person Dick Gregory stood by my side encouraging peo-
ple to support my efforts. Along with rap group Public Enemy’s Chuck D. and Malik Farrakhan, Mr. Gregory graciously donated his time to the cause. The cause is my truth. As a talk show host on Soul 73 KKDA, I talked to a lot of listeners. Many needed help. I didn’t have a lot of money but I thought it would be great to reach out to friends and colleagues, asking them to come out and have a good time raising money to help students go to college. Over the years so many have come out and given of themselves for the benefit of others. At the end of the first event, I told Mr. Gregory, Chuck and Malik that I didn’t want to impose by asking them to come every year, but whenever they wanted to come, I would make arrangements. While he may have missed three of the 23; Mr. Gregory always made up for his absences by stopping through town EVERY year. And when he was here he talked about the importance of giving but he never asked for a dime - NOT ONCE - and neither did Chuck or Malik or the other hundreds who took time out of their busy schedules to support this cause. We have used proceeds to provide annual scholarships in the name of Dr. Betty Shabazz, to student interns in Sen. Royce West’s Dr. Emmett J. Conrad Program. We’ve also provided scholarships totaling over $30,000 to the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists (formerly Communicators) Scholarship Program, the Emmett Till Foundation, Africa Care Academy and the Urban Journalism Workshop, to name a few. The foundation also brought in speakers, including: Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, journalist George E. Curry and Mamie Till Bradley Mobley, to share knowledge. When I came up with the celebrity bowl-a-thon I didn’t have any idea that we would one day be approaching our 25th year. I wanted a fun, family event where people could come, void of any inhibitions and expectations. We’d just chill out, enjoy fellowshipping and raise a lot of money. And if you were fortunate, you seized the opportunity
In an article by former Principal, Kristen Barker, she talks about how she hired six brand new, straight from college educators for the upcoming academic school year. She mentions how they were Millennial and Generation Y teachers who were basically needy, required attention and expected much. Mrs. Barker gave some imperative feedback, but I just could not
help but to wonder what kind of principal she was? It seems Millennials can never catch a break from being the source of every generation (before us) complaints. Millennials do what make sense! If what we are involved in does not make sense, we move on until it does…Makes sense? While I’ll admit, our work ethic could use a little fine tuning, we work hard just the same. The majority of my educational career has been teaching in charter schools that serve underprivileged students coming from impoverished and low-socioeconomic backgrounds. My very first year of teaching was a test of faith. I was a 4th grade English Language Arts and Reading teacher. For those who are not aware this is a STAAR testing grade and subject. I remember feeling overwhelmed and overworked to say the least. Feeling these things made me want to give in but I knew I had pupils relying on me. What I found most baffling was how rare it was for those to ask questions and challenge the status quo. I knew there were complain-
Eric Men
ing, helicopter parents and micromanaging administrators waiting on my demise, but I could not afford to let them see me sweat. My principal at the time definitely had a part to play in that. For the record, I am not bashing my former principal or any other principal for that matter. This is a true testament of my experience in the classroom as a millennial educator. Wanting to know if there were any other millennial educators that
felt the same as I did. I surveyed other millennial educators in the surrounding Dallas area, here is what I learned. Cameron Burwell, 26, a second year high school Chemistry teacher at R.L. Turner in Carrollton - Farmer Branch District, says one of his biggest challenges he faces in the classroom is that he is treated as an older peer. “I am relatively close in age to my students. What I ask my students to do is almost a suggestion.” Even when asked about classroom management and support Burwell holds the students accountable and says that ownership falls on the student when it comes to education. Another challenge Burwell mentions is student engagement. “I actively feel I am competing with my students’ phones.” Burwell mentions that most of the games/social media platforms students are interested in compete for their attention. When students come into the classroom, they expect the educator to compete as well.
See EDUCATION, page 5
Former Dallas Carter, Texas Lieberman makes history – Again – with Ice Cube’s BIG3 Tech Basketball standout joins BIG3 League By Dorothy J Gentry Sports Editor
When Ice Cube’s BIG3 League tips off for its second season June 22 in Houston at the Toyota Center, Dallas native Andre Emmett will be front and center as one of the 3-on-3 League’s newest players. “I’m bringing excitement with me. I’m going to do my thing. I’m going to put on a show,” said the 35-year-old shooting guard. Emmett was the #2 pick in the BIG3 draft held in April and was selected by 3’s Company. The BIG3 Draft was highly competitive with
Hall-of-Famer Nancy Lieberman
By Dorothy J Gentry Sports Editor
It was an ordinary weekend in March. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Nancy Lieberman was home in Dallas flipping between college basketball “March Madness” games and the movie “Straight Outta Compton” which, she said, she had seen multiple times before. “My phone rings and I’m being called by the BIG3,” Lieberman recalls, marveling at the thought that she was on the phone with Ice Cube while watching a movie about him. Shortly after that initial call she joined a conference call with other BIG3 executives to discuss an opportunity to coach in Ice Cube’s 3-on-3 basketball league now entering its 2nd season. “We got on the conference call and it just worked out,” she said. “They talked about inclusion, diversity, opportunity. About wanting to give people a chance on all levels. This league, BIG3, means teamwork, opportunity and having to
trust each other to get to the next level. “It was the perfect opportunity for me,” Lieberman said. “I’ve played against men, coached in the NBA, in the G-League, played 3-on-3 – Dallas’ Hoop It Up Tournament, where we won two championships. This was just a natural fit.” But what sealed the deal for Lieberman was Ice Cube himself. “Most importantly, Cube was so sincere in wanting to give players opportunities; to understand and change the culture of how people see us. It was important to him to have a qualified coach but just as important to get a chance to change the culture of professional sports. “He is not just saying it, he is doing it. It is exciting,” Lieberman continued. “I am such a fan of Ice Cube and what he is doing as a man, in the entertainment industry, as an actor, leader and more. It’s easy to get pigeonholed, he could have been just a rapper. “We get one chance in this life to See LIEBERMAN, page 7
more than 80 former NBA players competing for only 19 available BIG3 roster spots. Overall, 7 returning players from the inaugural season were selected as well as 12 players new to the league, including Emmett. It’s a dream come true for Emmett, a graduate of David W. Carter High School in Oak Cliff. “I watched a few (BIG3) games
Andre Emmett
during the first season and saw some of my old teammates, colleagues and friends. I was intrigued. I was thinking to myself, ‘I want in on this,’” said Emmett who was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics with the 35th overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft. He was later traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a draft night trade. He played for two years with Memphis then spent the last decade playing overseas in China and Korea. He was playing overseas when the BIG3 was formed and played its first season. He made it a point early on to get involved with plans for the BIG3’s second season by reaching out and attending the Draft Combine where he worked out for BIG3 teams. That hard work paid off when draft night, Emmett heard his name called as the second overall pick. “It’s a blessing. It’s been a lot of hard work,” he said. “Just God’s See EMMETT, page 7