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By Autisha Baldwin, Destini Clark and Diamond Bowers-Curtis Crusaders’ Chronicle
The Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School alumni found their way back together this football season, feeding the team prior to games during a remarkable undefeated season. Team Physician and Class of ’96 alumni Cecil Forbes reached out to King Alumni via Facebook – and the alumni responded.
Class of ’95 alum Santika Baker said: “The classes of ’88, ’90 and ’95 have been providing the football team with their high-protein, pregame meals. I played girls’ basketball at King and I remember how special it was when alumni supported us. I look forward to mentoring or tutoring female athletes at King.”
DPS English Instructor Erika Jones also graduated from King in 1995. She taught at King for five years before teaching at Cass Tech.
“I called an alumni meeting with the King newspaper staff so the students can publicize some of the wonderful things the KC alumni are doing,” she said. “Assistant Principal Fitz is very supportive. The Class of ’90 had been meeting bi-weekly to build an alumni association. This was a chance to bring us all together and hear from students what is really needed to keep KC at the top.”
Throughout the years, there have been many Crusaders to enter and graduate from King. Alumni from the classes of ’86, ’87, ’90, ’95, ’01 and ’06 met at the school in November to discuss ideas that would help the school and its students financially, academically, athletically and in preparation for life following graduation.
“I’ve been coaching swim here on and off for the last 10 to15 years. My father, Coach James, sent dozens of Crusaders to college through sports and academics” while teaching here for decades, said alum Antoine James. “I started rallying my classmates together because I have seen some things that were taking place in the school that not only I can help but that I knew our strong alumni can help with, also.”
Their main focus is to make every student feel like a Crusader regardless of the academic program they are in. Since the November meeting, former alumni have decided to organize a mentoring workshop for college planning and life after high school. Monica Jones, and mentor and founder of The Winning Futures (www.winningfutures.org), intends to sponsor a workshop on college planning and preparation for the current seniors. Aside from this, they plan to mentor students by encouraging them to do well, because academics come first.
Since the meeting, alumni Ayana Rhodes and 11th grade student ambassadors have begun tutoring Monday through Thursday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the King Center under the guidance of Shedrick Ward, director of academic engagement.
Said Rhodes: “Alumni are willing to work to do whatever it takes to improve King. We take pride in our volunteer work.”
“It’s not all about sports. We want to do it all,” said Jones. “We want to offer tutoring and mentoring.” She said the alumni unified around “football this season because this is a historical thing.”
Said alum Anayah Rose: “Unless we come together and unify, nothing will ever get done.”
To achieve success, they want students, parents, teachers, administrators and coaches to participate.
“If you talk to 10 families and you get five of them to see your vision, then you’ve been successful,” said Rose.
All former graduates are welcome to be a part of the activities offered here at King.
“A valuable lesson I learned from King was unity and respect, because when I was here we all came together – always,” said alum Naila Payne.
“King is family,” said Foster. “Other schools have alumni and they give, but we’re all connected and love each other and physically visit the school.”
