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Denton sorority gives African-American boys key to success, leadership
By Penny Rathbun, Staff writer
Six African-American boys heard about what it was like to be teased for being a nerd, what it was like to be a fashion designer and/or boxing instructor and how to treat girls and everyone else with respect at the Legends Academy in Denton on November 21.
The event was a youth panel discussion sponsored by the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Denton County Alumnae Chapter. Four area African-American men were invited to comprise the panel to speak to African-American boys between the ages of 11 and 14. Little Elm Town Council member Curtis Cornelious, former NFL wide receiver and business owner Jake Reed, Willie Iles, Jr., National Director Government and Community Relations Boy Scouts of America, National Council, and Terrance H. Watts, entrepreneur and principal of Vendigm were the panel.
Only about six boys attended, but if they were paying attention they got a quick course in how to be successful for the rest of their lives.
He grew up in Houston. One of the things he did to earn a living was designing, making, and modeling clothes. That and teaching boxing was a useful skill set for him.
“I was getting out of the Hood one way or another,” he said.
The level of slouching among the six African-American students in the audience lessened a bit when he gave everyone a pen. “I don't see anyone taking notes,” he said.
He told them they must always have their short term and their long term goals in mind.
Curtis Cornelious is the first African-American to serve on the Little Elm town council. He said he was teased for being a nerd when he was younger, but that really didn't matter.
“It's better to be prepared and not have the opportunity than to have the opportunity and not be prepared,” he said. “Pay attention to your dream.”
Jake Reed spoke on MEN, Manners, Etiquette, and Nobility. The former Minnesota Viking and New Orleans Saint said, “When you see girls don't throw paper at them. Treat girls like you would treat your mom.”
“Don't let rap music you listen to be the way you call girls. If you see another kid that doesn't dress the way you do, don't disrespect them,” Reed said. “Show manners.”
Terrance Watts said it was O.K. to get the right answers on the test. “Li'l Wayne has a degree from the University of Washington. Ludacris graduated summa cum laude. In the society we live in they think it's better to act like buffoons,” Watts said.
When one of the boys in the audience said he sometimes didn't put the answer down on tests even though he knew it he might as well have scraped his fingers across a blackboard. It would have gotten the same reaction from the panel members and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority members in the room.
He worsened the effect when he said he had an anger management problem.
Several sorority members who are teachers said it was unfortunate when students sometimes got labeled. All of the panel members responded with tact and understanding, but managed to get the message across that the student needed to worry more about his school work and less about his anger management problem.
“It's O.K. to be smart. You don't have to be the class clown,” sorority chapter president Vicki Byrd said.
The panel discussion was part of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Denton County Alumnae chapter Empowering Males to build Opportunities for Developing Independence program.
“Perseverance and believing in yourself,” Watts said is the most important thing he wanted the six young audience members to remember from what they heard.
Iles said he wanted his young audience to think about how they would define their values in building their future.
You're not alone,” he said. “There are support systems in place to help them make their dreams become a reality.”
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