• JJK salutes SLPS student athletes
     

    Posted: Thursday, May 16, 2013 12:05 am
    By American staff

    JJK

    Jackie Joyner-Kersee gave the keynote speech at the Second Annual St. Louis Public School District Scholar Athlete Luncheon.

    Jackie Joyner-Kersee, one of the most decorated female athletes of all time, and St. Louis Rams General Manager Les Snead shared words of inspiration and encouragement with 412 St. Louis Public School District student athletes at the district’s second annual Scholar Athlete Luncheon held at the Missouri Athletic Club on May 1.

    Joining Joyner-Kersee and Snead in saluting the student athletes were almost 50 St. Louis area sports personalities and successful business leaders who served as “table role models”for the scholar athletes. The St. Louis Rams served as sponsor for the event.

    SLPS student athletes received scholar athlete designation by meeting the following criteria:  Each student had to earn a 3.25 grade point average or higher during the first semester of the 2012-13 school year; the student athlete had to successfully complete the athletic season; the student athlete had to promote the values of sportsmanship, citizenship, character and academic excellence.

    Among the “table role models” on hand to network with the scholar athletes and share words of wisdom were former Olympic sprinter Ivory Crockett, St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnists Bryan Burwell and Joe Strauss, St. Louis American Hall of Fame photojournalist Wiley Price and sports writer Earl Austin Jr., KMOX radio sportscaster Ron Jacober, Post-Dispatch football writer Jim Thomas and veteran NFL writer Howard Balzer.

    St. Louis Rams “table role models” included Artis Twyman, Ran Carthon, Molly Higgins, George Foster, Kara Henderson Snead, Brandon Williams, Nicole Woodie and cheerleaders Crystal and Aundrea,

    Several former St. Louis Public School District athletes were on hand to serve as “table role models” as well.  Taking time out to connect with the current student athletes were: St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson (Metro), Johnny Furr Jr. (Sumner), Schron Jackson (Sumner), Tawana Hughes-Jackson (Vashon), Demetrious Johnson (McKinley), Michael Jones (Beaumont), Terry “Chip” Jones (Beaumont), Glenn Marshall (Soldan), Derrick C. Mitchell (Vashon), Bennie Moore (Sumner), Dr. Marvin Neals (Sumner), Kevin Potter (Soldan), Reuben Shelton (Northwest), Sharron Washington (Hadley Tech) and Charonn Woods (Metro).

    At the conclusion of the event, each scholar athlete received a special lapel pin from their “table role model” to commemorate the special occasion. 

    --

    The story can be accessed here.