CARVER LAUDS YOUTHS WHO MADE DIFFERENCE

Because telling children to "just say no" to drugs is never enough, Carver
Recreation Center hosted an awards ceremony Thursday to recognize those who
not only managed to stay out of trouble but spent their time improving
themselves and their community in the process.

"The open house, dinner and awards ceremony is our way of saying 'good
job!' "said Bart Lyon, Carver Recreation Center programs coordinator.

Carver Recreation awarded a total of $6,000 in scholarships to 10 students
at the facility, which provides educational, cultural and athletic
opportunities for children and teen-agers, many of whom live in low-income
neighborhoods.

"These are kids who are struggling anyway, because the neighborhoods or the
projects in which they live already present one strike against their
chances of succeeding. But so many of these kids have this burning desire
to excel, and they're working hard to overcome their home lives," Lyon said.

"You ask 100 kids who walk through our door what they want to be when they
grow up, and I promise you at least 97 of them will tell you NBA stars.
They dream big - if not always realistically," he said.

The awards ceremony is an opportunity to give the center's children an
additional pat on the back and reinforce positive behavior.

"From here, I could throw a golf ball in one direction and find a $25
prostitute; in another direction, I could obtain any illegal drug
imaginable. Thrown in yet another direction, I could hit at least four
churches," Lyon said.

His examples represent the myriad decisions children from low-income
neighborhoods are asked to make every day.

"We've received a lot of press coverage lately about the problems in the
neighborhoods near Carver and Wilson Avenue on some issues that needed to
be reported. We just want these kids to know that no matter where they live
they are each valued for their efforts and individual talents," Lyon said.

"You can tell them to just say no to drugs, but then you better have a fun
and interesting alternative in mind," Lyon said.

"It isn't drug dealers and prostitutes who are stealing our kids'
childhoods. It's the endless boredom they're faced with when we say, 'Don't
do that,' but then fail to show them the many positive activities which are
available for them to get involved in instead," Lyon said.

Carver has been a stable staple in the lives of children who need extra
encouragement from outside sources.

"It's the kid out here turning cartwheels in front of Carver at closing
time who doesn't want me to call his mother to come and get him that gets
me," Lyon said.

"We do the best we can with the kids while they're here, but when we shut
our doors at the end of the day, that's when the parents must assume
responsibility for their children," Lyon said.

In the words of Carver Director Herb Greenlee: "We are not here to provide
a 24-hour baby-sitting service."

Lyon, who also grew up in a local, low-income neighborhood himself, can
relate to the many challenges faced by the children he serves.

"I'm an only child. And if I hadn't been, my family and I would've actually
starved to death," Lyon said.

Students who received one of the 10 Melvin Stevens Scholarships awarded
Thursday evening were: Koe Kemokai, from East Tennessee State University
for pre-physical therapy; Kim McCray, from Tennessee State University,
Nashville, for education; Robert Love, Winthrop College, Rock Hill, S.C.,
for sports management; Jakeith Hairston, general educational scholarship,
anonymous donor; Valerie Stephens, TSU for physical therapy; Shereece
Buford, TSU for child development; Kathryn Witherspoon, North Carolina
State University for engineering; Melissa Bradley, Fashion Institute of New
York for fashion merchandising; Valesa Whittington, ETSU scholarship for
educational purposes; and Kathryn Nicodemus, King College for nursing.

In addition, the ceremony honored the 2002 Charles McConnell Sportsmanship
Award winners, including: Alisha Dill, Science Hill High School girls
basketball; and Anton McKinney, SHHS boys basketball.

The 2002 Charles Moncrief Awards were presented to Shapree Gallaher, Jeremy
Mitchell, Angela McCantas and Robert McKinney in the category of "Most
Dedicated to Carver Recreation Center."

The Mrs. Dorothy Christman Award for being "Most Dedicated to the Homework
Program" was received by Whitney Williams and Marisa Williams.