Leadership is an action word. It is also a commitment that requires sacrifice. L.E.A.D. provides countless amount of leadership opportunities that we measure throughout the entire year. As an organization, we easily record over 2,000 hours of community service annually since 2007.
Our student-athletes are required to participate in a service opportunity at least once per month every month throughout the year in order to remain eligible as a L.E.A.D. program participant. You can’t be an effective leader if you aren’t serving others.
Leadership is mentorship. To date, 28 L.E.A.D. Ambassadors have graduated from our program and are currently enrolled in college. They are more than names in our history book. They remain engaged. In order for our young men to understand the road ahead, they must ask those coming back.
L.E.A.D. offers a pipeline for youth development that starts with elementary school and goes all the way to top to me. Our college alumni mentor the high school Leaders. The high school Leaders mentor the middle school Leaders and the lives of Atlanta APS elementary students are enriched by our middle schoolers. Leadership is an action word. It is also a commitment that requires sacrifice.
The “D” in L.E.A.D. reminds us as an organization to direct our student-athletes using the historical journey of past African-Americans as the roadmap. Is there a better city in America with such a rich legacy of leadership than Atlanta – the home of the Civil Rights Movement?
At 6:00PM today, I along with my wife Kelli Stewart will be officially introducing 60 Legacy middle and high school League Leaders to the city of Atlanta at the Atlanta Public Schools Main Office. These young men represent their families, the Atlanta Public School System and their community with great pride.
They will have the opportunity of a lifetime to develop this fall professionally both on the field and off. L.E.A.D.’s four pillars of excellence are Academics, Athletics, Service and Exposure. You can bet your last dollar that we are excellent!
I will follow up at 9:00PM after the ceremony.
I couldn’t help but break down with tears when I gave the end remarks. To look out in the audience into the eyes of 60 student-athletes that have committed to my vision of L.E.A.D. was overwhelming.
We were joined by APS School Board President Brenda Muhammad, Atlanta Braves Director of Community Affairs Ericka Newsome-Hill, Georgia’s Own Credit Union Business Development Manager Julee Brunson, Georgia’s Own Credit Union’s Vivian English, APS Athletic Director Jeff Beggs and APS Middle School Program Director Rendell Jackson.
Special thanks to our parents, board members, supporters, staff and of course our Legacy League Leaders for making this a memorable night.
Come join us for an upcoming practice, game, enrichment activity and/or service project. We are always looking for energetic members for our L.E.A.D. Tailgate Club. For more information, click here..
L.E.A.D. Today…Change Tomorrow!
