December 4, 2012

Paying tribute to those who helped him rise from an underprivileged childhood to achieve excellence, former Clemson football great Jeff Davis told Upstate students at Monday night's Coaches 4 Character program that it takes education to succeed in life. But he said it also takes something more. 

"Education has been the reason that my life has changed, that my life has been transformed," said Davis, the captain of Clemson's 1981 national championship team. "But if I had to express one thing more important than education, it;s character. If you're going to be successful in life, you have to have some character. You're going to have to have some courage, some discipline, some fight, being kind -- all those things are important to your success." 

Davis seemed virtually as gripping with the young crowd at Redemption World Outreach Center Monday as he was as a linebacker who went to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He engaged members of the crowd, handed out Passionate About Winning T-shirts to fans of the Tigers and University of South Carolina Gamecocks, and elicited encouragement from teachers and parents.

He talked about growing up in the household that didn't have a car, about meeting his father for the first time at age 33, and about raising six children of his own. 

The Clemson Hall of Fame and Ring of Honor member also saluted winners of The Greenville News Character Awards. The honorees were DeVonte Blakely and Hannah Coles, eighth graders at Lakeview Middle School. 

Blakely is an A Honor Roll Student and Beta Club member who plays football at Greenville High and basketball and baseball at Lakeview. He also participates in organizations such as Save Our Sons and Men Who Matter, which are designed to foster leadership skills in young men. 

"His character stands above reproach," said Lakeview Athletic Director Bryan Little. "Students look up to him as an athlete but also as an extremely reputable person with the potential to accomplish all of his goals." 

Coles is an A Honor Roll Student and Beta Club member who serves as a member of Lakeview's Student Government Association. She also volunteers at her local food pantry and pitches in on community projects. 

"Hannah's strength and conviction as a student is an asset to Lakeview and her community," said Jeffery Dredge, an eighth grade history teacher at Lakeview." 

By: Michael Burns -- Greenville Online
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September 18, 2012

Georgetown men's basketball coach Johns Thompson III believes every one is being scouted.

"You never know who is watching you. You never know who is making decisions about you when you don't even know decisions are being made," Thompson told students attending the Coaches 4 Character program Monday night at Redemption World Outreach Center. 

Thompson shared that point while recalling how he was hired for his first coaching job, by his former coach at Priinceton, Peter Carril, who observed Thompson's consistent worth ethic while he was a player. 

Through that example, Thompson encourages students to stay on top of their game. 

"Always do what you are supposed to do, the way you are supposed to do it," he said. 

Thompson is the 21st speaker Coaches 4 Character has attracted to Greenville. He said he was moved by the program's mission of inspiring and recognizing Upstate youth. 

"Forget whatever I ramble about, these kids should be each other's motivation," Thompson said before taking the stage. "You don't need Coach Thompson. Through this program, they can look at each other, and bringing the group together, hopefully, someone is touched in some way, shape, or form." 

Thompson said he was impressed by the two recipients of The Greenville News Character Award, Eastside High School students Wesley Johnson and Karlisha Stokes. 

Johnson has volunteered to assist unpriveledged children at local organizations and even on a mission trip to Honduras. Stokes has logged more than 800 hours of service hours at youth centers, hospitals, and a center for abused women, all while holding a part-time job, 

Johnson said the award further affirmed his charitable spirit. 

"It means a lot," Johnson said, "I wasn't expecting all of this. It's a big surprise and a great honor."

Stokes shared Thompson's point on the importance of doing what is right, even when you think no one is watching. 

"I do things for other people not to expect anything back, but because it is the right thing to do," she said. "When you see someone that needs help, you let your shoulder be a shoulder for them to lean on. I hope others can see that someone cares, someone who may not have a role model, older sister, or mother figure." 

By: Mandrallius Robinson -- Greenville Online

April 20th, 2012
Michigan State coach visits Upstate

Mauldin Middle School student Austin McNulty aspires to be a defensive back in the National Football League.

He had doubts about whether his dream was too big -- until Thursday night, when Michigan State men's basketball coach Tom Izzo spoke at the Coaches 4 Character Program at Redemption World Outreach Center. 

Izzo recalled the big dreams he once shared with his childhood friend, Steve Mariucci. Izzo said like many young men in their hometown of Iron Mountain, Mich., their lives would have been relegated to mining had they not passionately pursued those dreams. 

They both attended Northern Michigan University. Izzo joined the basketball team, Mariucci played football. After their playing careers, they both began coaching. 

Through a painstaking, dues-playing process, Izzo became the head coach at Michigan State, and Mariuci became a head coach in the NFL. 

"Everybody at home would say 'Boy you're lucky. You're on TV. You make a lot of money," Izzo said, "but none of our friends would sacrifice to do the things we did to get where we got."

"I had no chance to be the head coach at Michigan State University. He had less chance to be the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers and then the Detroit Lions. But every night we talked about being a coach. That's what our dream was."

​As Izzo detailed the steps of his career, McNulty saw patterns of persistence that could help his reach his own dream.
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"It's just knowing to dream big and don't give up, no matter what," said McNulty, who along with classmate Anieke Papenhuyzen, received The Greenville News Coaches 4 Character Award. 

"I want to be a football player, " McNulty said. "Even though I have people everyday saying that it's not going to happen and I should focus on other stuff, hearing that I should keep  my dream meant a lot to me."

Papenhuyzen has big dreams as well. She would like to become a biological anthropologist. 

"This gave me a lot of encouragement," she said. "because it just shows if you have the dedication and the willingness and you put in the effort, you will get to where you want to be." 

"I get to do things I never dreamed of doing," Izzo said. "I get to be around people I never though I'd be around. It's only because I worked to achieve my dream, but if you don't dream, you're not going to achieve it."

By: Mandrallius Robinson -- Greenville Online

February 17, 2012

Life has thrown Victoria Green a series of stumbling blocks in her 17 years. 

She's hurdled them all. 

"My success comes from my obstacles," Green said. "My mom always taught me determination, so I got my strength from her." 

Green was one of two Berea High School students honored with The Greenville News character awards at the Coaches 4 Character Series Thursday night at Greenville's Redemption World Outreach Center.

Joan Cronan, longtime Women's Athletic Director at the University of Tennessee, was the guest speaker for the quarterly event. She reminded the more than 1,000 students in attendance that "there are a lot of people who believe in you or you wouldn't be here tonight." 

Cronan urged the crowd to "keep their lives straight" and be accountable. 

The two honorees from Berea apparently have done just that.

Green, whose mother, Pamela Black, passed away on Jan. 7 after a prolonged illness, has faced her challenges with "optimism, strength, and resolve." An honor student with ranks in the top 10 of her class, writes poetry and is involved in many extracurricular activities, Green plans on attending Winthrop University. 

Thursday night's other honoree was Zach Snyder, a sophomore at Berea. Snyder, a creative musician who plays several instruments, was cited for being "kind, generous, smart, and a leader." He also expresses his through and music on the Internet through a weekly "vlog" on YouTube. 

"He serves as a role model and leader for his brother and sisters by assisting them with their homework, cleaning the house and doing other daily chores," said Lenny Kindall, an assistant principal at Berea. "It is amazing he finds time to study, but somehow he does because he is a member of Renaissance, which holds students to a higher standard of academics as well as overall behavior at Berea High. 

By: Scott Keepfer -- Greenville News

December 13, 2011

Wofford College football coach Mike Ayers gave a rousing speech to kick off the fifth year of Coaches 4 Character programs, Monday night at the TD Convention Center. 

While Ayers, who has led the Terrier program for 24 years, which includes advancement to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in four of the last five years and several Southern Conference titles, gave the children and adults in attendance the story of his life and the importance of perseverance. There were at least two on board with the message. 

Holley Roper, an eighth grader at Riverside Middle School and Blake Stevenson, a seventh grader at the same school were announced winners of The Greenville News Coaches 4 Character Award. 

The students, who won the award due to their high character, are also outstanding students. They found out they were the recipients of the award in an interesting way. 

"They made the announcement over the loudspeaker during the afternoon announcements," said Stevenson. "I thought I heard it wrong." 

Roper's favorite subjects are math and drama. A competitive varsity cheerleader at J.L. Mann Academy, she hopes to become fourth generation Clemson graduate where she plans to study sports physical therapy. 

"I would like to be a doctor," said Roper. 

​Roper attempts to live by her personal slogan "Remember, there is always a little girl in the stands who wants to be just like you. Don't let her down,"

Stevenson, who has maintained an "A" average since the first grade, has dreams of attending Harvard School of Business. 

The Riverside Middle School students fit in well with Ayers message of not only believing in yourself, but doggedly working to achieve whatever goals are set. 

Ayers spoke of making bad choices early in his life before turning it around.

"I am telling you all right now if I can do it, you can do it," said Ayers. "It is about you and how hard are you willing to work. How long can you keep your hands on the shovel and keep digging in life."

By; Willie T. Smith III - Greenville News 

September 28, 2011

Roy Williams confessed, he is a compulsive competitor. 

Williams, the men's basketball coach at the University of North Carolina, admitted his compulsion as the speaker of the Coaches 4 Character program held Tuesday night at Redemption World Outreach Center. 

Williams qualified his confession as he addressed a crowd of about 800 students. He contended that "life is competition" and should be approached with enthusiasm. 

"Do something to help yourself everyday," he said. "Be led by your dreams, not pushed by your problems." 

​Williams' decree was illustrated by two Greer High School students who were recognized  for their perseverant competitive spirits. Stephanie Torres and Trey Brown were both presented The Greenville News Character Award. 

Greer High guidance counselor Tarah Boulware shared accounts of the personal hardships the two honor students have overcome. 

Brown pressed on after the sudden death of his mother and helped support his grandmother through a bout with cancer. 

Torres once struggled through a language barrier. Now, she is enrolled in some of the most difficult courses offered at Greer. 

​Boulware said both students have inspired their peers, as well as the Greer faculty. 

"They are just really good kids," Boulware said. "A lot of people may not know their circumstances. It's not something they use as a crutch. If you didn't already know their background, then you wouldn't know it. They're just really good people and really good students."

Torres and Brown's series of resilience and determination paralleled Williams' message of constant competition, diligent preparation, tireless effort, and bold dreams. 

"I experienced some of the same problems that kids are going through today and some of the same good things," said Williams, who also confessed that he just celebrated his 61st birthday. "It's so mych harder than when I was in school. We had some bad choices that we could have made but not nearly as many as youngsters are exposed to today. 

"I'm asking young people to listen to themselves and make the right decision. That's the biggest thing we have going, that you can make the right decisions because you want to make the right decision."

By; Mandrallius Robinson -- Greenville News

May 20, 2011

Rutgers University women's basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer is the third winningest coach in the history of her sport, was the first coach to take three different universities to the Final Four and has been inducted into several Hall of Fames. 

But, at the Coaches4Character Young Ladies Night Program at the Redemption World Outreach Center Thursday night, Stringer sent out a message that anything is obtainable - with hard work. 

"I found that my passion was coaching basketball," said Stringer. "When I started (at Cheyney State) we didn't have much money, didn't even have money for uniforms. The players bought their own uniforms. But it was something I would have done for free. Getting paid on top of it, that was incredible. 

"You can accomplish anything in life, but you have to have a passion for it and you have to be willing to put in the work."

Stringer's message appeared to fir the winner of The Greenville News Coaches4Character Award -- Rodian Manjarres and Alexus Harris, students at Northwood Middle School. 

Manjarres, an eighth grader, moved to Greenville with her parents from Puerto Rico when she was three years old. Despite struggling with the language barrier after arriving, she is now thriving. 

"I am very proud of her," said Manjarres' father, Rodney Manjarres. "She has come a long way. From the time we first came to Greenville she struggled a lot but she came through.  Now she is making good grades, she has won citizenship awards, I think any parent would be proud. 

She owns a blue belt in Tae Kwando and writes poetry. Her career goal is to be a sign language instructor. 

Harris, also in the eighth grade, takes honor courses at Northwood Middle. She is also an accomplished athlete as she already runs track on the high school team. 

Her teachers term her as not only a popular student but one that is a facilatator, finding solutions to problems and ways to bring her peers together. 

Her career goal is to become either a veterinarian or a surgeon and hopes to volunteer at an animal shelter this summer. 

By; Willie T. Smith III -- Greenville News 

February 23, 2011

​Meeting C.J. Spiller and standing on a stage with him Tuesday was a big deal for longtime fan Jonathan Herlong, a Mauldin High School senior scheduled to enroll at Clemson University later this year.

Running back for the Buffalo Bills and an All American at Clemson, Spiller opened a window to the largest audience in series history and offered a look at his life and his choices during the Coaches 4 Character gathering at Redemption World Outreach in Greenville. 

Spiller explained to the audience of more than 2,000 how he overcame despondency over his grandmother's death during high school to become one of the most coveted players in the nation as a senior; how he reached the unpopular decision to attend Clemson then later defied his mother and remained at Clemson for four seasons. 

It struck a chord for Herlong, who was presented The Greenville News Coaches 4 Character Award. 

"It's been a great experience," Herlong said. "It's been very encouraging, getting to meet C.J. Spiller. He's great, and there's a powerful message in what he says."

Herlong plans to join his brother Thomas at Clemson and major in engineering, he said. 

A member of the Mauldin soccer team, Herlong leads an active life academically, socially and spiritually as a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish National Honor Society and Beta Club at Mauldin. He will cap a three year term on Student Council as Senior Class Representative. He is a Palmetto Fellows Scholar and Newberry Scholar. And he has been a member of CAAN (Change Attitudes Now), a mentoring program for elementary students that promoted drug-free and alcohol-free lifestyles. 

Herlong is active at Edwards Road Baptist Church as a member of the youth group and he has served on several mission projects. He maintains a lawn service and worked as a lifeguard and in leisure time enjoys fishing, hunting, mountain biking, and basketball.

"I really don't have much down time," he said. "Whenever it comes I take advantage of it, that's for sure." 
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By: Ed McGranahan -- Greenville News 

December 15, 2010

Datavious Jenkins never realized he had so much in common with Jay Bilas. 

Jenkins, a student at Blue Ridge Middle School, was honored on Tuesday night with The Greenville News  Character Award, during Potential Youth Foundation's Coaches 4 Character program. 

Bilas, an award-winning college basketball analyst for ESPN, served as the guest speaker for the event, held at the Redemption World Outreach Center. Bilas presented the award to Jenkins along with Blue Ridge Middle principal Becky Greene.  

During his address, Bilas challenged Jenkins and a group of nearly 500 students to concentrate on the importance of every task and to change their definition of a goal.

"Wanting to be a neurosurgeon or a basketball player or a lawyer -- those are not goals. Those are destinations," Bilas said. "Make your goal to get better everyday, and you will reach your destination."

"He has taught me a lot," Jenkins said of Bilas "to make a goal everyday and reach up for that goal."

Jenkins said he plans to embrace Bilas' message. However, Greene contended that Jenkins already has - by being a consistent hard-worker, volunteering his time for community service and carrying a permanent smile each day. That encouraged Jenkins' classmates to elect him for the award.

"It means a lot to me," Jenkins said. "I'm thankful that God has put me here to receive this award. I'm thankful for my peers and that they think of me as a leader."

Five Greer High students were acknowledged as Students 4 Character: Grace Cohen, LaBrian Shifflett, Lynn Phan, Robert Martin Jr., and Tori Graham. 

Christ Church Episcopal School quarterback Hunter Townes was recognized with the Steadman Hawkins Superstar Award, given for character and on-field performance. Townes led the Cavaliers' football team to the Class A Division II semifinals last month and finished the season with 62 touchdowns. 

The Potential Youth Foundations has held 14 Coaches 4 Character programs, welcoming prominent coaches to Greenville to encourage the area's youth. Over four years, the series has reached over 11,000 students, according to Potential director Greg Blatt. 

During Tuesday's program, Blatt announced that the next Coaches4Character event is scheduled for Feb 22. Former Clemson University running back and current Buffalo Bills rookie C.J. Spiller is slated as the guest speaker. 

By: Mandrallius Robinson -- Greenville News 

September 29, 2010

Having served as a coach on five baseball teams representing the United States in international competition, perhaps it should have been no surprise that University of South Carolina baseball coach Ray Tanner was extolling the virtues of the Red, White, and Blue Tuesday night. 

Speaking to an audience of several hundred at the Potential Youth Foundation's Coaches4Character meeting at Redemption World Outreach Center, Tanner said "It is important to realize you live in the greatest country in the world. It is the land of opportunity,"

Tanner, who coached the Gamecocks to the College World Series championship in June, said neither his father or mother finished high school, but that they provided guidance for him. 

"Education is empowering. How many of you young people love school?" Tanner asked. Upon seeing a minority of hands go up, he said "That's what I thought, it's a little bit of a mixed bag. I was there, too. 

"But it's so important," Tanner said. "It's a part of what you do in life. It enables you to have opportunities. ... Is it exciting all the time? It certainly wasn't for me. I can't tell you there was a day when I got excited and said 'Hey, let's go do some English.' "But, I understood it was important, because I listened to my parents, listened to my teachers and listened to my coaches," Tanner said. "I believed in them and listened to them."

"Listen. Take advice," Tanner said. "I know you like to think you have the answers sometimes, but most of the time the people around you care about you and will give great advice."

"I had a good family, good parents, but things didn't go well all the time. When I was a junior in high school, my dad become an alcoholic and my parents split up. There were trials and tribulations," Tanner said. "It was a touch time. I was trying to survive. I wasn't sure exactly which way I should go. But I listened. I listened to my teachers and I listened to my coaches. 

I was able to go to college. I became a statistic. I became the first in my family to graduate from college."

"My point is, I didn't grow up with a silver spoon. I didn't have a lot of things," Tanner said. "You might not have a lot of things. But, you have an opportunity. Life is about choices and decisions that you can make."

"All of you are old enough to understand what is right and what is wrong," Tanner said. "If you can live by that, you have a great chance to be successful,"

Greg Blatt of Potential Youth Foundation said he estimated Tuesday's crowd to be the largest of 13 meetings the organization has had so far. The next one is set for December. 

Rodrick Goss and Griffin Day, both seniors at Hillcrest High, shared The Greenville News Coaches4Character Award.

Tuesday's event was presented by Arizona's Children's Charities. 

By; Rudy Jones -- Greenville News