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Y.E.M.B.A. NEWS LETTER
Youth Educational Mentoring Basketball Association
PROGRESSION SESSION
By: Sheree Redd
Elementary School to be a part of this
life changing program. Workshop began at 3:30pm and ended by 5:15pm.
A
Fter two long years
of planning, Youth
Educational Mentoring Basketball Association
(Y.E.M.B.A), headed and
founded by Edward Redd
(seen, far left in gray shorts),
finally kicked off its first
th
session on April 18 . The
Program collaborated with
an already well known
program in the Oak Park
community at Percy L. Julian
Middle School, called “Friday
Night Place,” headed by
Wiley Samuels (seen far
right, in blue pants). The collaboration
is based on two men combining their
passion to help provide young men an
alternative to hanging on the streets.
Knowing that basketball would be key
to drawing the young men into the
program, Y.E.M.B.A. took it a step
further. One Friday per month,
Y.E.M.B.A. added structure by organizing basketball schematics and
learning through its “Life Skills” workshop. The program’s mission is based
on nurturing a healthy mind, body
and spirit. The program started off
small, with about six participants, but
quickly grew to seventeen, including
students from surrounding school:
There was even a student who traveled all the way from Best Practice
Although one team was able to claim
the winning title, Y.E.M.B.A. declared
them all winners by presenting them
with medals of participation.
SPECIAL THANKS:
 Julian staff for their hospitality.
 Wiley Samuels for his
faithful support, generosity
and awesome snacks.
 Sheree Redd for her all
around volunteer services
and support.
 Peter Waiters and Dora
Samuels for their volunteer services.
Photo by Sheree Redd
There, the participants were provided
with snacks and went right into learning. The interactive curriculum consisted of creating goals, to watching
an inspiring movie, to positive role
playing performing a skit. Afterwards,
the young men were allowed a fifteen
minute break to change into their
basketball attire. Education did not
fall short of the “Life Skills” workshop,
learning continued straight onto the
basketball court. The young men love
basketball so much that they were
eager to participate in all aspects of
the sport. Learning the technicalities
of basketball was always first and
foremost before actual playing. Participants were taught character, like:
discipline, respect, sportsmanship,
teamwork, and responsibility. They
also practiced and expounded on
skills like shooting, assisting, rebounding, positioning, referring, etc. The
spring session went out with a bang
th
on June 13 , as Y.E.M.B.A.’s held its
first basketball tournament (10 participants posing before game time, seen
in picture). The young men split into 5
teams of 3, leaving one participant to
referee and the other to take score.
CONGRATULATIONS:
 To the 53% of participants
th
for completing 8 grade and moving on to high school:
 To Eddie Miller, Vontaze Brown,
and Dequawn Kimble for winning
st
1 place in the tournament (received Steve and Barrys’ gift cards).
 To Kenneth Montgomery, D’Quan
Brown and Thomas Ross for winnd
ning 2 place in the tournament
(received movie passes).
 To Shaquille Veasley and D’Quan
Brown for attending every session
(received basketball jerseys).
 Kenneth Montgomery outstanding
academics (received gym shoes).
 Edward Redd for successfully completing Y.E.M.B.A.’s first session.
COMING SOON…
 Y.E.M.B.A. Logo
 Boys Summer Basketball Camp
 Sessions at Brooks Middle School