After a contending run with the Inglewood Sentinels football team, senior quarterback Jared Heywood will take his talents to the University of Rhode Island. He worked hard in order to graduate early while putting up a winning performance on the field.
Highlights of exceptional student athletes in 2019
Senior hitter Makenzie Carter is co-captain of the View Park girls’ volleyball team and senior class president. She has played on the varsity squad for all four years.
Inglewood senior Montana Lemonious-Craig plays on both the Sentinel’s football and boys basketball teams. His main focus is his schoolwork and his athletics skills, he works to avoid distractions.
To become a competitive basketball player, Paul Revere Middle School eighth grader Brooklyn Taylor had to have perseverance.
Senior Michael Pittman Jr. has been making the USC football team a scrappy force, leading the wide receivers with 938 yards and 71 receptions.
Sophomore Quinndon Allen is a member of the Los Angeles Romans football team’s young core. Allen has the ability to gain yards through catches and rushes as well as stop the run on defense.
This month, my organization, the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools released its highly-anticipated report, “Identity and Charter School Leadership: Profiles of Leaders of Color Building an Effective Staff” which examined the ways that school leaders of color’s experiences and perspectives influence how they build school culture, parent and community relationships, and effective staff.
Junior Kimaya Lampkin is a dual-sport athlete and has become a leader of the View Park girl’s rugby team. A key lesson she learned in being a leader is to understand the perspective of every player on the team.
UCLA senior running back Joshua Kelley leads the Bruins football team with 101 carries for 415 and three touchdowns so far this season. He’s a hard-working athlete who is slow to promote himself but quick to boast the talents of his teammates.
Although she is 11 years old, Arelle Middleton can keep up with competitors beyond her years. Her shooting ability made her an asset to the Rancho Halos. Middleton has Congenital Femoral Deficiency and is a multisport athlete in able-bodied and adaptive sports.
Junior second basemen, Jasper Anderson, knows to never back down from adversity. Playing baseball and football at Crenshaw high school presented new challenges for him. Rising to the occasion by working hard helped him develop new skills and made him a reliable figure on both teams.
Senior linebacker Q’marr Allen is using his voice to create change at Los Angeles High School. Not only is Allen a captain of the football team, but he is a leader in different ways on campus.
California Golden Bears junior cornerback Camryn Bynum is a key member of the “Takers,” Cal’s defensive backfield who rose up to become the toughest defenses in college football last season.
One of the leaders of the USC Trojan football team this year is senior defensive lineman Christian Rector. After the Trojan’s went 5-7 last season, he’s ready to better the program and qualify for a bowl game this year. “That’s why I came back, to change the narrative and flip the script and not leave on that note,” Rector said. He currently is on the Lott IMPACT Trophy watchlist, the trophy is given to a defensive player who shows athletic prowess and personal character. Coined a “Swiss Army Knife” of the Trojan defense, Rector also played outside linebacker and