Fill that Bus!

Durham's Rotary Clubs are attempting to fill a bus with school supplies. $50,000 worth of crayons, notebook paper, markers, pencils, glue sticks...for Durham teachers and their students.

60% of the kids in the Durham public schools live at or near the poverty level. Their parents, struggling to make ends meet, are hard-pressed to provide back-to-school gear. That's why our teachers reportedly spend $500-$1000 - of their own money - for classroom supplies each school year.

This drive ends on August 3rd. 175 local businesses and organizations are donation drop-off sites. Click here for more info on the Rotarians' project. Help them fill the bus with school supplies on Saturday!

Promoting FILL THAT BUS at the ballpark and accepting a Rotary Foundation grant: Phil Kearney, President of Southwest Durham Rotary. Crayons2Calculators Board Member and DPS parent Nakira Carter and her daughter Kayden Carter, a rising 1st grader. C2C Board Member Signe Brown, a 44 year teaching veteran.

A tip of the ball cap to Durham veterinarian Joyce McKinney. She's in a regional leadership position with the Rotary Clubs, tirelessly organizing and promoting this service project.

Supporting Durham Public Schools

The Durham Bulls are great partners.

They are recognizing and rewarding our employees.

They are providing our students with opportunities to learn skills that can't be taught in the classroom.

Eric Becoats, Superintendent, Durham Public Schools

Generous words from the leader of DPS. Dr. Becoats hosts a monthly video report on the school system's progress - Bulls Eye - and the latest installment features two programs at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park:

• DPS staff recognition
• Post 50 television production training

The video (4.5 min) is posted on the DPS Facebook page. Click here. Check it out...

Meet "Dr. B"

"I love a challenge, I love an opportunity, and I think the best time to lead is when things are difficult. Because in my opinion, anybody can lead when it's easy."

Durham Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Eric Becoats
from a June story in the Herald-Sun

Durham's new school chief joined us at the DBAP last Sunday. Dr. Becoats tossed a ceremonial first pitch, and the Easley Elementary choir sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." That was good exposure for the kids before a sell-out crowd.

Dr. Becoats is out and about in the community...absorbing input for a Durham Public Schools strategic plan. As they say at the central office: "Dr. B needs to see..." Click here for the skinny.

Photos: Ashley Yarber

DBAP - Home to High Achievers

Last week began and ended with kids at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (...and we managed to play some baseball, too!)

On Monday we hosted 250 honor roll students from Durham's middle schools, Friday night 800 Scouts took over the outfield for a camp out, and the week concluded with the final day of Pepsi Baseball Camp on Saturday.

The Bulls hosted the students and their parents for lunch, and the young scholars got to run the bases as the ceremony concluded. Check out the slide show at the Durham Public Schools web site.

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I wish that I had better pix of the Scouting sleep-over, but I'm grateful for the camera phone shots. After Friday night's game with Buffalo, the DBAP was pretty much converted to a KOA . The outfield was literally covered with tents. (No camp fires or RVs, though.)

There's more to come: Y Guides and Princesses in July; Girl Scouts in Sept. Click here for details. And THANKS to our sponsor:

Also, I'm especially grateful to Bulls' Head Groundskeeper Scott Strickland. What a patient, understanding guy! And I appreciate the extra effort from our staff. They didn't get any sleep at the sleep-over.

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Last but not least, our first installment of Pepsi Baseball Camp was Thursday, Friday and Saturday on the DBAP field. Camp Director Mary Beth Warfford spent her birthday with seventy kids in the Carolina heat and humidity...while the kids spent time with professional baseball players - a unique sports camp! Click here for info on the July and August sessions.

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Over the past couple of weeks I’ve had the opportunity to speak with middle school students in Halifax County and a group of high school teachers in Durham. My pitch to both groups: kids playing sports should prepare for a career in the business of sports...just in case their dream of playing sports fizzles. Have a back-up plan!

Consider the stats:

There are over 455,000 kids playing high school baseball in America. There are 7300 freshman roster positions across all colleges/universities, and 5700 will be playing as seniors. 600 will be drafted annually. The percent of high school senior players that make it to pro baseball is .5%.

Lets look at hoops: 550,000 youth are playing basketball in HS. There are 4500 freshmen roster spots at the college level…3500 senior players…and approx 44 will be drafted. High school seniors to pro = .03%.

I’m not trying to throw cold water on a kid’s dream, but they can use their education to prepare for a career in the sports business: sales and marketing, finance, food service, turf management, communications, IT.

Play sports. Prepare for a career in the front office.

BTW, I visited Enfield Middle School in Halifax County at the behest of Teach for America. Great school. Dedicated staff. Promising young scholars. Glad I made the trip.

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Here in the Bull City we recently honored Teacher of the Year nominees from the Durham Public Schools...

From left to right:
Emily Greenstreet, Northern High School
JeVar Bransome, Shepard Magnet Middle School
Takesha Trapp, Pearsontown Elementary School
Rebecca Myers, Rogers-Herr Middle School
Matt Hunt, Northern High School - 2009-10 Teacher of the Year

...and the winner is:

Takesha Trapp, Pearsontown Elementary School

Congratz!