Page 4 - 3-20-15 Friday's Edition

Letter To The Editor Local
Female Boxer Chosen To Join Team USA
NAKARRI JONES
... Reigning “Miss Florida Elk of the World” title holder
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Last year, Ms. Nakarri Jones was crowned, “Miss Florida Elk of the World.” But this year, Ms. Jones has her sights set on a different title.
The talented 20-year-old will compete during the week of April 19th through April 26th in Atlanta, GA. Ms. Jones is the first female from the Tampa Bay area to be se- lected on Team USA Boxing. She will face female boxers from China, Canada, and Bul- garia during the five-day tournament.
However, her dream is to earn a place representing the United States in the summer of 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro. In June, Ms. Jones will travel to Colorado for an Olympics qualifier tourna- ment. If she finishes in the top three in her weight divi- sion, then she will earn an in- vitation to participate in the Olympic trials.
The Jefferson High School graduate has been preparing for this goal for several years. During her amateur boxing career in 2011, she won the Junior Olympics Regional and State Championships. In 2012, Ms. Jones became the
Nakarri Jones is shown ready for battle in the boxing ring.
Open Women’s Golden Gloves Bronze medalist.
She has continued to hone her skills and in January 2015, Ms. Jones won the light welterweight division Silver Medal at the USA Men’s and Women’s Elite Na- tionals. The event was held in Spokane, Washington. Cur- rently, she is ranked No. 2 in the nation in her division.
Ms. Ann Jenkins, Pag- eant Directress for the Beauty Pageant last year said, “Nakarri is extremely com- petitive. The first time I saw her box, I knew she was going to make it. When she asked me how did she do? I told her, never give up, keep your eyes on the prize, put your hands in God’s hand and He will see you through.”
Ms. Jenkins further said that Nakarri’s personality and talents are going to take her a long way. Additionally, she noted that Nakarri has the full support of her par- ents.
“It’s just a matter of time before Nakarri turns profes- sional and I’m already work- ing on finding her sponsors. If she can secure sponsorships and endorsements, it will make life easier for her to continue her college educa- tion,” Ms. Jenkins said.
Hillsborough Schools Making Strides In Teaching African American History
As we do every year, Hillsborough County Pub- lic Schools once again showed our enthusiastic commitment to celebrating Black History Month in our schools.
We have always be- lieved that African Ameri- can History – while highlighted in February – is a year-round endeavor. For any student to have a truly well-rounded appre- ciation of our nation’s his- tory, they must have a deep understanding of the con- tributions of African Amer- icans in shaping our nation.
From the Rev. A. Leon Lowry to Zora Neale Hurston, African Ameri- cans throughout our na- tion’s history have had an undeniable and positive impact in areas as diverse as the arts, sciences, poli- tics, entertainment, and the law. It’s not enough to recognize a debt of grati- tude; we are committed to ensuring that generations of students understand and appreciate those con- tributions.
That’s why we in Hills- borough County Public Schools are continuously
working to enhance our rich curriculum – from kindergarten through twelfth grade. We take this role very seriously.
This year we featured an emphasis on local African Americans who have made a difference in our community. Through the LEAD (Lead, Empower, Advocate, Dream) award program our students did a great deal of research and taught us about inspira- tional figures in our own community. After students submitted more than 1,100 entries, the program cul- minated in a gala event at the Tampa Art Museum where educators and com- munity leaders met many of the African Americans whose accomplishments captured the imagination of our students.
We have plans to take our commitment a step further. We have joined the NAACP in an exciting ini- tiative to improve our teaching in this area by seeking Exemplary Status for the Teaching of African American History. This designation, currently held by only 10 school districts in Florida, is awarded by
the Florida Commissioner of Education’s Task Force on Teaching African-Amer- ican History.
We have partnered with the NAACP, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the Saunders Library Foundation, and the Uni- versity of South Florida Africana Studies Depart- ment to achieve this goal. Our School Board ap- proved seeking Exemplary Status in October.
This undertaking will involve developing new and engaging curriculums, and providing professional development to hundreds of our teachers to improve the delivery of African- American History. Our teachers are already doing a great job teaching African-American History, but we believe that with greater support, with cre- ativity, and with input from some of the most knowl- edgeable minds in our community, we can be- come a model for educa- tors everywhere.
JEFF EAKINS, Acting Superintendent, Hillsborough County Public Schools
Business Dinner
The Tampa Bay Black Chamber of Commerce held its first An- nual Black History Cultural Business Dinner on February 28, 2015.
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