HOWARD BANKHEAD
Blog: November 2012
First, I send my condolences to the family and friends of Bill Dickey…he was and still is a great man.
I was introduced to Bill Dickey (pictured left) by Dr. Mike Cooper in 2005 at a First Tee event at the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, FL. At the time, I didn’t know much about Mr. Dickey and all of the wonderful work and contributions he had made to the game of golf and in the lives of young people.
After we became more familiar with each other and having the opportunity to hang out with him after First Tee meetings, he encouraged me to keep working on my dreams and to stay in touch with him. Bill Dickey had a wonderful personality and welcoming spirit!
OCTOBER BLESSINGS AND SURPRISE
October was a good month for me. I give God all the credit for allowing me to do his will so we can benefit the lives of young people, their families and our communities.
Thanks to NEA Jazz Master Ellis Marsalis’ visit to Huntsville on October 18 & 19, 2012 we were able to fulfill the mission of “Raising Awareness and Funds for Huntsville’s Tennessee Valley Jazz Society-Youth Development programs.
My First Hole-In-One
October started off good with my first Hole-in-one (!!) on October 6; Ellis Marsalis visit was from October 18 & 19 where he spoke to an audience of several hundred seniors at the “Aging with GUSTO” conference; Ellis served on a Panel Discussion about “The Past, Present and Future of Jazz”; he also conducted a Jazz Master Class for students at Alabama A&M University, (this was the first time these students has ever experienced anyone of Ellis Marsalis’s status); Ellis visited a Jazz Education-is-Cool-in-the Schools program and later gave a performance before a packed crowd at the Cooper House, the venue for the concert.
The performance and experience was outstanding for all in attendance. Along with Ellis’s performance, the United States Army Materiel Command jazz combo band performed a tribute to Ellis (they received standing ovations! Several awards were presented. The jazz society presented a Jazz Spirit Award to Elizabeth Sloan-Ragland for being a catalyst for jazz in the Tennessee Valley and a Jazz Spirit Award to Ellis Marsalis for being a catalyst for Jazz Education.
The Mayor of Huntsville Tommy Battle (left) presented Ellis with a special presentation, the Key to the City and the biggest surprise of the night was when the Mayor presented a Key to the City to Howard Bankhead.
October also ended in a good way, I was born in 1956 on October 31. I turned 56 October 31, 2012.
Connections
Through the African American Golfer’s Digest, I am developing a relationship with Glenn E. Bazzle (left), author of “Anatomy of the Perfect Golf Swingng”. I met Glenn after seeing a picture of Ellis Marsalis that was posted on the AAGD webpage. I thought it was ironic how, I was working on Ellis’s visit to Huntsville in support of the Tennessee Valley Youth Development (jazz, golf and health) programs and the photo showed Mr. Marsalis’ receiving an award from Glennon Bazzle, for his jazz work. Thus, our new found friendship was connected!
SOME DISTURBING FACTS
Black Students Lag Far Behind Whites in Their Level of Readiness for College-Level Curriculum
According to the latest data collected by the American College Testing Program, only 4 percent of all African-American high school seniors in 2010 who took the ACT college entrance examination met benchmarks for readiness for college-level work in English, mathematics, science, and reading. Thirty percent of white students who took the test were ready for college-level work in all four subjects.
The data showed that 34 percent of blacks met the college readiness benchmark in English. For whites, the figure was 77 percent. But only 13 percent of blacks met the college readiness benchmark for mathematics compared to 52 percent of whites.
The largest racial gap was in science. Some 36 percent of whites who took the ACT met the benchmark for college-level science. This is six times the rate for blacks.
Huntsville’s Tennessee Valley Youth Development Program is working diligently to improve these numbers for all of our youth!
Support youth development where ever you are.
For more information on how to donate to help make a difference in the lives of so many in our communities, we invite you to visit our Web site at http://tvygd.dms-graphics.com and or call 256-886-0579.
Give Youth A Gift For Life: Youth Golf Development!
Howard Bankhead
Executive Director
Tennessee Valley Youth Golf Development
604 Jordan Lane
Huntsville, AL 35816 USA
256-604-8172
