NEWARK, NJ — The Write on Sports 11th anniversary gala on Sept. 14 accomplished three things: celebrated teachers, honored three 2016 Literacy Champions and raised funds for the tuition-free programing WoS provides to middle school students.
In the past 11 years, more than 1,000 students have participated in WoS camps, workshops and after-school programs. The mission of Write on Sports is to inspire students to write by writing about sports. A staff of more than 40 teachers in three states carries out that mission and many attended the gala.
Executive Director and WoS founder Byron Yake asked all teachers present, even those not in the WoS program, to stand and be recognized.
“The thread that weaves so clearly around our three honorees tonight is the art and the craft of teaching,” Yake said. “The success of WoS depends on the quality of teachers. Nothing is more important.”
All three 2016 Write on Sports Literacy Champions — Lindsay Berra, King Rice and Hubie Brown — participated in WoS camps this past summer. Each is a teacher in his or her own profession — Berra as a journalist, Rice as a coach, and Brown as a broadcast analyst and former pro basketball coach.
“As I do in my yoga class, I’d like to say thank you to all my teachers, to all the kids at Write on Sports for letting me try to be a teacher … and to all of you for supporting Write on Sports,” Berra said. “And as my grandpa, Yogi, would say, for making this night necessary.”
Rice echoed similar sentiments about those who have made an imprint on him.
“So many great people in my life to help me along, to do the right thing,” he said. “Being a teacher is the most awesome thing…. It all goes back to the teachers that I had. So, if you are teacher, you have been given something special to these kids.”
Brown has a master’s degree in education and basketball has been his life as a teacher, coach and broadcaster for 60 years. He just signed a new two-year agreement with ABC/ESPN. He expressed how at this point in his life he was still grateful for being involved with young people.
“For me, it was an honor just to go to Monmouth (University Write on Sports camp) and have an opportunity to sit in on one of the sessions with the students, be able to be interviewed by the students as well as a radio person and to get a true feel for what they are accomplishing. It was absolutely a great day for me,” Brown said.
Before the dinner, six WoS 2016 students stood beside an enlarged poster of their print feature, and guests had the opportunity to speak with them and gain firsthand insight into their thinking about the stories and the WoS programs.
Several WoS alumni from previous programs attended with two speaking about the lasting impact the program has had on them. Kevin Lopez, a WoS participant in 2008, recently graduated from Princeton University.
“Little did I know that after I signed up for Write on Sports, I actually would be interested in writing,” he said. “After I finished, I found this love for writing. More than just writing for fun, but writing for business or whatever that may be. I cannot stress enough how that has impacted my life. Write on Sports provided that avenue for me to express myself both in writing and in speaking.”
Each honoree was presented a personal, framed story by the student who wrote about them and their respective camp visit. The student author presented the award and introduced the honoree.
For more information about WoS, email info@writeonsports.org.
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