UMES basketball players mentor local students
These are smiles of a few Fruitland Intermediate students when they see their mentors, but their mentors aren’t just anyone. They’re basketball players from University of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Marie Baker, the Fruitland Intermediate Assistant Principal tells us, “our students would ask… are the mentors coming this week? Are they coming? They are very excited to see their mentors.”
The mentorship program began with the help of Talareah Campbell, a UMES graduate student, who was working on a student impact study. Campbell brought the idea to Fuitland Intermediate administration and they jumped on board.
“It takes a village and we realize that as UMES we are part of that village to help some of our kids in the community,” says Talareah.
UMES players come to Fruitland Intermediate once week to catch up with their mentees, but most importantly keep them on the right path to success.
“So they know that it’s just not just elementary, and then middle, and high school, but they do have the opportunity to go to college and they see other young men who look just like them,” says Campbell.
Julian Davis, one of the mentees who is in the fourth grade says,””I am going to be a basketball player. Davis tells us he loves to watch Stephen Curry.
“He is an all-star. I look like him. He has a nice jumper,”says Julian.
Julian tells us his mentor reminds him that becoming an all-star does not happen over night.
“You have to practice defense, offense, get good grades,” says Julian.
Derrico Peck, a UMES basketball player and mentor says, ” I got my message across which is to work hard in the classroom and work hard in the court.”
In just five months, Fruitland Intermediate officials say they’ve noticed a change in their students.
Peggy Dickerson, the Fruitland Intermediate school counselor says, “We are elated by it! There has been an improvement and that was the goal of this program.”
Fruitland Intermediate administration tells us that they are looking to expand their mentorship program by adding more students and mentors from different schools in the upcoming years.
