Lead the Way 3/19/2021 (8Hrs)

I get off early from work on Fridays and I was able to come in the morning and get a lot of hours with Columbus City Schools today. It’s still slow and not a lot going on around the city but it’s going to pick up soon due to spring sports. Today was a lot of observing Mario in preparations for spring sports and what’s to come. Every once in a while, we get thrown a curveball in the day. Mario had a few virtual meetings he had to attend, and I was notified that a company called Lead the Way Learning Academy was coming in to speak with the football team after school ended. I decided to show my face to see what it was about. First thing I realized my old high school teammate was on their coaching staff. At that moment I was really intrigued because I would love to support or be a part of anything that benefits the kids across Columbus City. The main objective of the company was to give kids opportunities to make money and to secure internships at a younger age besides waiting until college, when it’s too late. They help push excelling in the classroom by offering kids incentives for reaching specific GPA requirements. Anthony Murphy is the Program Manager, and his presentation was sensational. In order for kids to receive these benefits, they had to notify their parents and get them involved. This tells me that they are willing to go through the parents and not the kids which is very respectable. This program can also help with networking when it comes to summer jobs or obtaining certificates for programs of choice for the student-athletes. For example, if you need a certificate to become a dental assistant, they can provide a training program that is paid for through the learning academy. They give the students resources that they never had before. This opened my eyes because I never seen anything like this, and I believe this can help benefit all student-athletes in Columbus City due to lack of resources and opportunities. The rest of the day consisted in going through the bylaws and covid protocols for softball. Softball season kicks off next week and I’m excited to be a part of the product.