Dejour London
Lomax Elementary Magnet – Grade 3
Intermediate Literature Winner
One Person Can Make DIFFERENCE
He came into the world under the worst of circumstances
But he was adopted and was given some of life’s BEST chances!
A sickly child he grew tough and strong
A champion for foster children, he works hard and long
He is the admired founder of Feed Our Children Ministry
A Tampa outreach program that provides the needy food and much dignity
He believes that our lives are not determined by what happen to us
But a positive attitude and determination are the plus
This local leader have inspired me so very much
I’ve seen the changes in so many lives that he has touched!
Each time we speak he encourages me to do great things!
But, I especially love the peace that the smile on face brings
For through him I understand what matter most
It’s a privilege and an honor to present Pastor Moses Brown
One of Tampa’s finest local leaders in our town!!
Kiana Antoine
Sligh Middle Magnet
Middle School Literature Winner
My Inspirational Leader
Many people can inspire us. Take Martin Luther King as an example. He envisioned a fairer, more prosperous nation no longer shackled by racism and poverty. Or Oprah Winfrey. She is a journalist, television producer, presenter, film producer, voice actor, philanthropist, media proprietor, and a business person. She inspires many people. However, others dont have to be famous to inspire numerous people. It could be anyone like your mom, dad, or even your grandparents. My inspirational leader is Dr. Dallas Jackson. He is the principal of Sligh Middle Magnet and is a very uplifting person.
Dr. Jackson is an African American artist. It may be a little surprising to see your principal splashing all his creative ideas on a canvas, but in my opinion he is a very good artist. His artwork is hung up in a small, yet beautiful museum; The Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum is located at 2240 Ninth Ave South Saint Petersburg, Florida 33712 and it has almost all his artwork. In the back, there's a breathtaking white fountain on the right side of the front of the garden. There is a red brick sidewalk with peoples' names carved into them. There are statues everywhere and the garden has a brick-like-stage in the back and many trees and benches for people to sit. As I was looking at Dr. Jackson's "Endangered" exhibit it had a person with a gun or a person beating someone else with a bat. Those pictures had the words endangered sprayed across them. This was very thought provoking for me because his description of the painting had dealt with the girls in Nigeria that were abducted. It also made people feel that their children or themselves are endangered because there is only one of you since everyone else is taken. It's just like feeling your an endangered species. His quick speech was very short yet memorable.
As well as being a creative artist, Dr. Jackson is also my principal at Sligh Middle Magnet School. He expects excellence everyday from all his students. It takes a lot of stamina to interact and influence students, keep track of important papers and events, and run the whole school. Every day during morning announcements when he says to work harder, it makes me more determined to do better and to ignore people doing irrelevent things. Dr. Jackson used to work at Martinez, but now he is as successful as he can be at Sligh. He even schedules fun events and celebrations at my school. For example, in the beginning of the year Dr. Dallas Jackson did the ice bucket challenge. Anyone who was wearing school unifrom could attend the basketball court to watch. My pricipal made a very big difference in my way of looking at things in the world and school.
Once in a lifetime when you meet somebody it may change you. My inspirational leader, Dr. Dallas Jackson, taught me to always work harder, put your best foot forward, and to always smile and be positive. He changed me from a seed into a beautiful sunflower with strong roots. Which means, I can do anything academic without anything or anyone trying to knock me over. Dr. Jackson has inspired me and he can inspire you too.
Juwuan Livingston
Riverview High School
High School Literature Winner
Black Leaders in My Community
Within each community there are leaders among us. Some people look up to the elders in their families, teachers at schools, or caregivers such as their doctors. As I reflect on the celebration of Black History Month, I would like to recognize this important black leader in my community. The leader in my community that has inspired me is my former coach: Mr. Jamal Guiller.
The first year of high school was quite intimating; it was a whole new world to me. Everything in high school appeared to be larger than life and in turn was magnified to the highest power. One morning while registering for my classes, this BIG guy came up to me, introduced himself, and asked me if I was going to play football. I told him that I wasn’t sure if that was something I wanted to do. Mr. Guiller immediately started to make me feel comfortable and told me that he thinks that I should try out for the team. He told me that I would take a starting position which was definitely enticing. Later that day, I did try out for the team. As I got on the field, Mr. Guiller began to make me feel at ease with my teammates by asking me to share some personal things about myself. I shared with the team what I like to write and eat barbeque pulled pork sandwich. Some of the team members share with me the same. This gave me an opportunity to get to know my team members better. At that moment it was clear to me that Coach Guiller would be a big influence in my high school career.
As I continued to play on the football team, Coach Guiller encouraged me to become a better athlete. Although I was six foot three inches tall and over two hundred and seventy pounds, I had limited experience playing football. Because of my size I was unable to play on most Pop Warner football teams. I did not fit in any of the weight and age group categories. Therefore, when I started playing on the high school team most of my teammates were far more skilled at the game than I was. Coach Guiller took an interest in me and taught me how to lift weights correctly to help me be stronger. He also taught me how to snap the ball as a Center and become more aggressive on the field. I looked forward to football practice every day because I knew that he cared and I knew that he would lead me in the right direction.
Off the football field, Coach Guiller was easy to talk with. I would stop by his office to talk with him about my school work, sports, and the job he did during the school day. During our conversations, we would “crack” jokes on each other. He talked to me about the importance of doing community service hours and being a leader in my community. These conversations were meaningful to me because no one had ever had these talks with me before and I did not really know what it meant to be a leader. I began to look for events in which I could participate. I worked at a Nursing Home near my house, I participated in outreach programs at the Moffit Cancer Center, and I worked during the Relay for life fundraising events. Currently, I have a total of one hundred twenty six hours of community services. I owe this all to Coach Guiller who motivated me to be a better person.
In summary, there are leaders all around us. Unfortunately, some of these leaders go unnoticed and unrecognized. I am not sure how Coach Guiller has influenced others, but I know for sure he had a major impact on me during my first year of high school. Coach Guiller was transferred to a different position in the school system, but I have never forgotten how he leveled out the mountainous fears I had coming into high school. Four years later, I am a strong and successful high school senior and athlete. Coach Guiller is a Black Leader who have Empowered me, Advocated for the weaker, and allowed me to fulfill my Dreams of being an athlete.