Tribute to Black Youth honorees have a pretty good idea of who they are and where they want life to take them. Still, it never hurts to have someone validate those beliefs and goals – particularly if it’s an American success story like Kevin Carroll.
Like many of the 27 middle and high school students recognized at the luncheon hosted by Denver chapter of Links Inc., Carroll, who started a worldwide phenomenon by developing the Lance Armstrong “Livestrong” bracelet for Nike, had a tough childhood: His alcoholic father left the family when Kevin was 3, and years later his mother took off, leaving him and his two siblings without food or money in a trailer park in Bowling Green, Va.
Carroll used a neighbor’s phone to call his grandparents in Philadelphia, who had come to the children’s rescue in other crises. The grandparents gave the children a loving home, providing for them as best they could with limited resources.
Carroll spent much of his free time on a neighborhood playground. He found a red rubber ball to shoot hoops with, and it became the foundation for a career. He would become fluent in five languages, thanks to overseas Air Force postings; he worked as a physical education teacher at a private school in Philadelphia until his prowess caught the attention of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team, which signed him as head trainer; and he worked for Nike to help the athletic gear giant develop a deeper understanding of product performance and team dynamics.
After leaving Nike in 2004, Carroll started The Katalyst Consultancy and travels the world to speak to corporate executives and others about the importance of play in everyday life and how to turn creative ideas into reality. His first book, “Rules of the Red Rubber Ball,” sold 60,000 copies before it was officially released.
Carroll’s visit to Denver was arranged by Links member JoKatherine Page, whose late daughter, Leslie, worked with Carroll at Nike. In addition to his luncheon address, Carroll also spoke at Rachel B. Noel Middle School and Montbello High School.
The 2005 Tribute to Black Youth honorees included Desmond Gonzales, an 11th-grader at CCI Charter School, who survived being hit by a car and seriously injured when he was 11; Mandisa Gunnells, a senior at East voted “Most Likely to Succeed”; Brendon Henderson, whose science teacher at Kent Denver School says he is the best student he has seen in 15 years; and Bethany Hill, a Hamilton Middle School eighth-grader who read more than 1 million words last year.
Also, Frances Annan, vice president of the Thomas Jefferson High student council; Edward Battle, an East High senior hoping to become an aerospace engineer or pro basketball player; Sarah Beals, an eighth-grader at Campus Middle School who attributes her brother’s Down syndrome with helping her become a caring and compassionate person; Kira Becks, a senior at George Washington who finished her junior year as No. 1 in the class; Omar Belhachmi, one of the state’s top 10 prep linebackers and a student pilot; Philana Benton, an Overland senior and award-winning pianist; Alexandria Berry, a senior at PSI Charter School planning to have her own restaurant and pastry shop; and Nancy Cruz, an 11th-grader at St. Mary’s Academy who aspires to become a lawyer or psychologist.
Also, Ashley Gaffney, Zuri Gracin, Jacquette Jenkins, Ashley Keys, Joshua Martin, Rachel Newton, Celeste Prince, Garrett Martin-Proctor, Bianca Ragin, Joshua Reggiani, Shenee Taylor, Diandre Taylor-Amar, Alexandria Scott, Kadeem Thomas and Skye Willis.
All about kids
Sixty-plus years in show business give Art Linkletter an arsenal of material upon which to draw for the hundreds of public appearances he makes every year. He can share anecdotes from the shows he hosted – “House Party” and “People Are Funny” – or quote humorous passages from “Kids Say the Darndest Things,” perhaps the best-known of his 23 books.
Or, as he did when he came to Denver to speak at Evening of Hope, he can include a little something from all three.
The three-time Emmy-winner was quite a hit with the capacity crowd that gathered at Donald R. Seawell Grand Ballroom to raise money for the Seeds of Hope Charitable Trust, which provides scholarships to children from low-income families so they can attend Catholic elementary schools in the inner city. The trust also provides operational expenses, supplies and money for field trips to the schools.
Jane Masterson and Patty Spurway chaired Evening of Hope, leading a committee that included Maribeth Hanzlik, Sandy Kay, Chris Kelley, Joan Mateskon, Mary McNicholas, Barb Astuno and Rennei Coleman. Gov. Bill Owens and Archbishop Charles Chaput were the honorary chairmen.
Society editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or jmdpost@aol.com.
