Page 9 - Florida Sentinel 3-31-20

Local
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
ASCS alumni Pastor Kewon Foster shares testimony of how he went from a 1.2 GPA in High School - to receiv- ing a Master’s degree in Theology
Leto High School and All Sports Community Service (ASCS) alum, Pastor Kewon Foster and his wife, Idalmis celebrated their Church’s 1-year Anniversary - Out Of Love Min- istries in Atlanta, GA. The doors to the church opened on February 10, 2019.
As graduation approaches for high school seniors in these tur- bulent times of Coronavirus, Pas- tor Foster wanted to share his story in hopes that it could inspire students who are in danger of not graduating this spring.
Entering his junior year at Leto High School, Pastor Fos- ter says his Grade Point Average (GPA) was 1.2.
“I will never forget the day when my guidance counselor,
All Sports Alumnus Celebrates 1st Anniversary Of Church
Kewon Foster, right, with ASCS Executive Tyrone Keys when he signed to attent Itawamba Community College.
Pastor and Mrs. Foster, right, with Mr. and Mrs. Ty- rone (Bessie) Keys at the First Anniversary celebration of Out Of Love Ministries, Atlanta, GA.
ing the first male in my family to graduate from a four-year Uni- versity.
“In short, Coach Keys has been the father that I have never had. I thank God for sending such a caring and loving person into my life.”
Later, Pastor Foster at- tended McAfee School of Theol- ogy at Mercer University on a 3-year scholarship. Following graduation, that led him to At- lanta, GA.
Pastor Foster expresses gratitude to his mother, Kather- ine Dula for the support she provided for him and his siblings as a single parent.
He says, “Friends, thank you all for helping Dreams Come True. I would like to thank Coach Keys for always inspiring me to have a heart that is willing to serve. Also, I would like to thank Bizcatalyst360.com for publishing my story – “My Jour- ney: From the Root To The Fruit.” To God be all the glory.”
Pastor Foster and his wife of 17 years, Idalmis, are parents to 5 children.
Phyllis Barringer, called me to her office to inform me that I would not graduate with the class of 2000,” he said.
In a previous article pub- lished in the Sentinel, Foster says this is when he decided to put together a plan that would get his grades up.
He met Tyrone Keys, founder of All Sports Community Service during his senior year at Leto.
“I met Coach Keys in No- vember of 1999, shortly after football season ended. He offered
me, along with ten other young men, the opportunity to become a part of his organization. I will never forget the promise he made us as we all sat inside the Princi- pal’s conference room: ‘if you make a commitment to us, we will make a commitment to help you get into college on an athletic scholarship.’ This was an offer that I just could not pass up.” He graduated from high school with a 2.0 GPA. From, that point, his GPA increased throughout his ed- ucational journey.
Keys assisted him in getting
a 2-year full athletic scholarship to Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Mississippi. He later went to Tennessee Tech, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology in May, 2005, and a minor in Social Work. He also entered a Master’s Program there and graduated in 2008.
“Throughout my college expe- rience, I intentionally kept in con- tact with Coach Keys. His spiritual and practical guidance provided me with the necessary encouragement I needed in order to continue my pursuit of becom-
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