COLUMN: In the schools

A former Harlem Globetrotter met with youth June 23 at Southside Middle School in Florence to speak with students about having talents both inside and outside the classroom.

Archie Talley met with students at the school in conjunction with the Florence Police Department Educational Basketball Camp and Personal Pathways to Success Pee Dee Regional Education Center.

Talley showed off his basketball skills before telling students about his story of success, including receiving undergraduate and master’s degree from Salem College in West Virginia.

Cheryl Lewis, a coordinator with Personal Pathways, helped coordinate the event with help from the S.C. Commission on Higher Education’s College Access Challenge Grant.

“They were really in tune to his voice and his message,” Lewis said. “He did the basketball tricks … and once he got their attention, he got really serious with them.”

Parts of Talley’s message included letting students know that the words “I can’t” shouldn’t be a part of their vocabulary.

“We’re always looking for people who are willing to go out to talk to kids. … I selected him because I know that many of our black males aren’t going to college. They don’t have those black role models too often to look up to,” Lewis said.

Florence Police Cpl. Jerri James worked alongside Lt. George Mack and Officer Gloria Howard for this year’s free basketball camp.

“Not only is it a basketball camp, it’s educational,” James said. “We wanted him to talk about his career and the educational part about what it takes to get to the next level.”

James said Talley stressed the importance of having the right mindset, respecting others and working toward goals.

“We wanted them to see that everybody has an equal chance. It’s up to you about how much time and motivation you want to put into that,” James said.

Talley plans to visit the Pee Dee again Wednesday at Mt. Zion Chapel Baptist Church and Darlington High School and Thursday at Chesterfield-Ruby Middle School and Marlboro County High School.

Also:

• Two Timmonsville High School seniors received D.J. Johnson scholarships at the school’s

annual Salute to Education award program in late May, which recognizes standout students.

Anna McDowell received $1,000 through the scholarship and plans to attend Coastal Carolina University in the fall and major in biology to eventually become a dentist.

Jasper McDaniel received $500 though the scholarship and plans to attend Francis Marion University to major in pre-engineering to become an electrical engineer.

Johnson High School served the Timmonsville area as a school for black students before schools were segregated.

The school closed its doors in 1970 after desegregation, and the school became Johnson Middle School.

The scholarship is given in honor of David J. Johnson, who was the first principal of Johnson High and served the district from 1929 to 1963.

Proceeds from the 2010 Carolina Ball and individual donations provided funds for the scholarships.

The Johnson High class of 1970 also provided funds to the district to help purchase supplies and support the district’s game room initiative.

• Lake City High School student Alexander Brown won a silver medal in a competition at the annual SkillsUSA championships, which is an organization for students interested in trade, industrial, technical and health occupations education. Brown won the award in the Action Skills portion of the competition, which includes a demonstration of an occupational skill in an area in which the student is training. This year’s competition was held in Kansas City.

• Marlboro County High School JROTC instructor Lt. Col. Justin Blum has been elected by the S.C. School Improvement Council Board of Trustees to serve a three-year term. During his time on the board, Blum will represent all middle schools and high schools in the Pee Dee. The S.C. School Improvement Council was established more than 30 years ago to provide member training, technical assistance, statutory accountability and other resources to the state’s public schools.

Morning News Digital Journalist Elizabeth Lamb can be reached at (843) 317-7275 or by email at elamb@florencenews.com.