Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 2-26-21

Local
All Sports Alum, Students Joined The Weeknd In Super Bowl LV Halftime Show
NFL Experience At Julian Lane Park
There was limited participation at the 2021 NFL Super Bowl LV Experience. Hundreds still had an opportunity to enjoy the fun dur- ing Super Bowl Week. (Photos by Julia Jackson)
Tonya and Kevin Hammonds were among those showing their support for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Dee Collins is all in for Super Bowl LV.
Supporters of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: M. G. Davis, Lamar Young and Victor White.
In January, All Sports Community Service (ASCS) alum, Jordan Jefferson received a message that of- fered him the opportunity of a lifetime.
"My mentor, Tyrone Keys, former Buc and Bears Super Bowl Champ, texted me and said there was an op- portunity to dance halftime of the Super Bowl. He said, 'I need you to be here tomor- row,' and I was like what," Jefferson said.
Jefferson said he got permission from his job working with Congress- man Bennie Thompson, hopped in his car, and shuf- fled 11 hours to Tampa.
He explained part of the process. "It’s a lot of sit and wait," Jefferson said. "It’s a lot of change this move, change that move, no I don’t like you there."
Jefferson was on the field for the final act of The Weeknd's halftime perform- ance, one of the many dancers wearing the white bandages over their heads.
"It felt like the first day of helmets from football. I kind of broke mine a little bit be- cause my head was too big to put it on. It was very uncom- fortable," Jefferson said.
The former college foot- ball player at Jackson State University, where he was also Student Body President, said being on the field for the Super Bowl was amazing. "The crowd was going crazy, and then the fireworks.”
Jefferson has been a member of Tyrone Keys’ ASCS mentor program in their hometown of Jackson, MS, since 2010 at Callaway High School where Jefferson and Keys attended. Jeffer- son has been tap dancing since the age of 4.
While in Tampa, Keys provided an opportunity for
Howard W. Blake High School students who participated in the Weeknd halftime show: Marcus Borders and Danielle Long. Not shown, Aziyah Freeman, Aramis Jackson and Ray Angelo Sanders.
Jefferson Jordan joined The Weeknd and others in the Super Bowl LV halftime show.
him to kickoff Black History Month at Blake High School. After he performed sev- eral routines of tap, he spoke
to the students at Blake HS (who had 4 current and for- mer students, who were se- lected to perform during the Pespi halftime show) on the
JORDAN JEFFERSON AND TYRONE KEYS.
history of Tap. Jordan shared that African slaves were forbidden to us any types of drums or instru- ments, so they began dancing and making percussion beats with their feet. Their sacifice has provided many opportu- nities for him and can do the same for others.
Donean McDaniels decked out in her gear supporting the NY Jets of the NFL.
Photographer Julia Jackson in all her Tampa Bay Bucca- neers gear.
PAGE 2-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2021