Student-athletes in the Division of Athletics donated 10 bikes to Clausell Elementary School to reward deserving students for maintaining perfect attendance. The event is a community-service activity and internal competition between JSU athletes and their sport to raise the most coins.
Each team decorated a coin box corresponding to their sport, which was also divided by gender. The coin drive started in mid-October and lasted until early November.
JSU Athletics’ Dr. Michael C. Anderson instructs academic readiness mentoring and academic readiness monitoring (ARMS) classes that consist of student-athletes of all sports.
He said, “Many people are remembered because of the things they say, while others may be remembered because of the way they look, but we the student-athletes of Jackson State University want to be remembered for making a difference in the lives of others.”
Anderson and student-athletes visited Clausell on Friday, Nov. 17, to encourage students to attend school every day and remind them of the importance of being present in the classroom. Of the 10 bikes, two will be rewarded each month. Two students with perfect attendance were rewarded a bike this month; two others will be presented the same prize in December, and so on.
JSU team competitors were thrilled to be involved in the community-service project.
“To see the smiles on their little faces were priceless,” JSU student-athlete Marlisa Scott said.
JSU softball player Nava Fisher, said, “I know for sure we made a difference today in their lives.”
Alyssa Fisher JSU, another softball player, said, “This really made the whole thing come to light that Dr. Anderson was pushing so hard for us to understand. … This was amazing.”
