“Character, Academics, and Golf”
I write this blog with deep emotions and frustrations. For the new readers, 90% of my writings are about how Huntsville’s Tennessee Valley Youth Golf Development, use the sport of golf and its intrinsic values to introduce and develop youth ages 6-18 academics, athletic and life skills using golf as the context. But for our regular and new readers, I ask that you endeavor with me into something that has everything to do with golf and youth development, but not in the traditional way. Read my blog on Family Structure and Historical Norms
https://www.africanamericangolfersdigest.com/howardbankheadblogFeb2012
Let me share a brief story with you. I remember a few years ago, I had a meeting with several individuals… a diverse group of men and women that I assume was knowledgeable about a variety subjects. Well, I made a comment on how we use golf to help students understand and develop their math, academic and character skills. This one individual that always talked about how he was going to whip me on the golf course said what does math have to do with golf in a sarcastic way! The nine other individuals looked at me as if they agreed with the question or how I was going to respond.
I respected this man and still do. And thanks to God, at that time I had a life lesson and a teachable moment. First, never judge a book by its cover (which is one of the oldest saying ever) and always smile and think before you respond to an unexpected situation. Of course, I used the opportunity to explain and/or make aware (educate) that our program is not junior golf, but a developmental program that uses golf in nontraditional ways. I went on to share that golf terms such as par, birdie and bogey are scoring math words in golf, like addition, subtraction and fractions…0, -1, +1, angles and distances is arithmetic.
Of course, I have been told that people in this southern community think that I am crazy doing what I do. What I do is use the art form of jazz music and the sport of golf in a non-profit program to help develop the lives of young people and entertain adults. And of course being crazy is a relative thing. But I must admit I am driven by an extraordinary urge to be relevant yet unassuming in this beautiful world that God created. “Space is the place” is a jazz album by Sun Ra, one of my jazz favorites. For years of my life, even as a youth, I would find myself alone in spaces and places…with God!
These deep emotions and frustrating awareness that I am writing about has several dimensions. And when I cannot explain where these feelings come from, I put them on God…God is my only answer when I can and cannot explain things in life.
I have much to write about including the failure of some of our communities, our schools, families and individuals…self-included! But again thanks to God, we have more successes than failures.
Certain emotions start to flow when I see a kid, teenager or young adult walking around with their pants not sagging, but barely hanging on around their knees, with tattoos all over their backs, arms, necks, etc. and most of the music they are listening to, has negative lyrics such as, kill the n****r, f##k the bitch…I hope you know where I am coming from!
On the other hand which seems rare, other emotions arise when I hear or see a younger individual carrying themselves in a more civil and/or decent way. A matter of fact, the other day as I was leaving the market (Kroger), I stopped and spoke to a young man that I thought was in my classroom when I was a high school at-risk instructor a few years ago. He was employed by the store and I asked his where did I know him from and he said with a smile, hey Mr. Bankhead I was in your class at Sparkman High.
I remember when we talked about his goals after high school; he was adamant about not going to college and getting into the bling-bling world. His reasoning baffled me because he was a respectful and pleasant student. We laughed because of seeing each other again, and I asked what was happening with him? He said that he was headed to the navy in a few weeks and was looking forward to his venture. I asked him about going to college and traveling the world through the military, his reply was YES SIR, Mr. Bankhead Yes Sir I am! We embraced and I encouraged him to keep God in his life. For me that was a good experience, but they seem few and to wide.
In 2011, 2012 and 2013, the great State of Alabama is number one in Football and number one in Golf in 2013 and 2014, but last in 8th graders math scores. Something is wrong here!
Alabama eighth graders ranked dead last in national math scores! Where is the outcry from our community leaders and educators…or as a “so called” civilized society, do we really care? Today, public schools are more segregated than they have been at any other point over the past 40 years and students of color are still trapped in the poorest performing schools. 60 years after the Brown decision, four out of five African American fourth graders read below grade level and they are twice as likely as their white peers to drop out of high school.
I know for the State of Alabama, our nation and humanity as a whole, if a high percentage of our youth are not proficient at math, more than lately they have issues with reading. I believe that these academic inefficiencies lead to character flaws, meaning that some students act out for attentions. Some of our students and adults (parents) do not know how to say help me, I need help or I don’t understand this math concept and word question.
We know that thousands of our youth are not receiving and do not have access to various educational and training resources that will benefit their academic development. However, given needed and adequate support, together we can turn this negative statistic around in a few years! Through our program, we emphasize the math, science, reading and character in the art form of jazz music and the sport of golf.
My concern is for the 8th grade students that are having a difficult time understanding 6 grade math concepts. This is not meant to be a negative indictment on the educational systems that our students attend. The educational systems produce more successes that failures. But we cannot afford to leave no child behind! As it is known, education and government officials and certain business entities, project how many prisons to build is based on 3rd grades reading levels. I dare say that poor reading score is not the only indicator that can predict the outcome of a person’s life. I believe the influences that the negative side of pop-culture, truly negatively affects the psyche of our young people’s brain.
I am not anti-rap music and against some of today style of clothing. But there is a sub-culture that seems to feed on self-hate music (kill the n****r, f**k that bitch). I stand for positive music because the mind and brain operates in the affirmative…the I-can and I-will attitude. Positive attitudes help to foster and produces good values and strong work ethic. In today fast moving world of technology, science and 24 hours news coverage, I estimate that 85% of media coverage is attracted to blood and guts. It is said that the negative news drive up ratings, and the higher the rating numbers, the more money is made. It’s all about money.
Huntsville’s Tennessee Valley Youth Golf Development, Summer Youth Enrichment Experience (SYEE) will tee off in July 2014 and carry on throughout the school year with afterschool programs. Qualified staff members, and volunteers will deliver the academic and golf & life skills curriculum. What makes this program an experience is the material the participants learn in the classroom will be carried and applied on the golf course and eventually in other areas of their lives. This includes understanding and working with word problems, fraction, whole number, negative and positive integers. Geometry and the science of golf will also reinforce our participant’s academic skills. The sport of golf offers life intrinsic values such as, perseverance, respect, integrity, honesty, and judgment, just to name a few.
Let me be clear, Tennessee Valley Youth Golf Development, Summer Youth Enrichment Experience is not an athletic sport program like basketball, baseball or football. This program is an academic exercise designed to develop youth math, reading, science, writing and character skills using golf as the context.
“Anything positive is possible”
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In order to grow and continue the success of TVYGD and TVJS, we ask for your love, support and donations!
Howard Bankhead
Executive Director
Tennessee Valley Youth Golf Development
604 Jordan Lane
Huntsville, AL 35816 USA
256-604-8172
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