College Park Skyhawks Coaches and Players Team Up with West Clayton Elementary School for Youth Empowerment Day

All Coaches, Players, Basketball Operations Staff, and Members of College Park’s Southside Crew Helped Serve as Mentors to Students

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. – On Friday morning, the College Park Skyhawks joined West Clayton Elementary School for a youth mentorship experience for third, fourth and fifth grade students, aimed to inspire and teach each student the value of leadership and character development in their community.

All players, coaches, and basketball operations staff from the College Park Skyhawks participated in the event this morning to serve as mentors for the second year in a row, alongside members of College Park’s Southside Crew.

Fifth grade boys, along with third, fourth and fifth grade girls, participated in simultaneous workshops and clinics, rotating between leadership development sessions and movement-based clinics that promoted confidence, teamwork, self-expression, and positive decision-making.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to come out to West Clayton Elementary and serve as mentors to such an energetic group of scholars,” said Aaron Evans, General Manager of the College Park Skyhawks. “This is the second year in a row we’ve brought our entire team of players and staff to the school, and not only is it a rewarding event to be a part of, but is important to our team to make an impact and inspire the younger generation to reach their goals. We appreciate our partnership with West Clayton, and the opportunity to give back to the Southside community that supports us throughout the season.”

The experience started with a welcome from West Clayton Elementary, followed by a 40-minute character-building workshop for fifth grade boys, who were paired with a Skyhawks player or coach, while third, fourth and fifth grade girls participated in a dance clinic led by Skyhawks senior manager of event production, Veronica Paul, members of College Park’s Southside Crew, and volunteers from Atlanta Hawks Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).

The two then rotated stations, where the boys participated in a basketball clinic led by the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Academy and Skyhawks players and staff, while the girls sat down with members of Southside Crew and ERG volunteers.

“We love teaming up with the Skyhawks and today was an extraordinary event,” said West Clayton Elementary School Assistant Principal Zakiyya Whittle. “To have our young scholars be able to interact with the players and Southside Crew while also learning valuable lessons in leadership and positivity will have a lasting impact on each and every one of them.”

The Skyhawks are in the third year of ‘Colli’s Classroom’ school adoption program at West Clayton Elementary, aimed to impact the school’s 480 students and 90 staff members throughout the entire school year. This year, the program has included events such as supply drops, multiple PE takeovers and reading days for all grades, Curriculum Night, where parents of students were provided access to career resources and job opportunities through a Mobile Career Center bus from Goodwill of North Georgia, and Youth Empowerment Day. 

To learn more about the Skyhawks’ community initiatives, including Colli’s Classroom, follow @CPSkyhawks on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram or visit cpskyhawks.com.