JOIN ENACTUS TO HELP CHANGE LIVES!
Donation protected
During my 8-year NFL career, I have been fortunate enough to play in some of the biggest games in football. From Monday Night Football thrillers to Super Bowl glory, I know that to win the biggest games, you need:
-An intelligent game plan
-An emphasis on teamwork
-Courageous individuals who will do what it takes to win.
Right now, there is an urgent and critical game being played in my hometown of Rochester, NY that has brought me to tears and requires immediate action. I am so thankful to the students of Roberts Wesleyan College's Enactus team for providing this exciting platform to tell the world about this crisis happening in upstate New York.
So let me get right to it...
Did you know that recent reports have confirmed that Rochester, New York is:
-#1 in high school dropout rates of black and latino males in the US?
-#1 in extreme poverty among mid-size cities in US?
-#1 in New York State per capita in murders?
-#1 in New York State per capita in HIV infections?
-#4 in single family homes in the US?
Shocking right?
As a Rochester, NY native and proud graduate of its school district, when I heard the news, I was heartbroken. Disgusted. Outraged. But most importantly, inspired to do something to make a difference.
For eight months, I commuted back and forth from my home in Los Angeles, CA to Rochester to listen and learn directly from middle and high school students about their fears, roadblocks and what they felt they needed to succeed. For the better part of a year, I heard theirstories. Embraced their pains. Saw their tears. It brought up painful memories from my childhood and reminded me that many of the challenges I faced as a student have only grown. Then there was this horrific discovery…
Of the hundreds of students I interviewed, more than 80% of them said they had never:
--Been told “I love you” from their father before.
--Been hugged (literally) by their father before.
--Been encouraged to be a positive citizen by their father.
In fact, most of the students I talked to said they had little to no relationship with their fathers at all. Truly sobering.
As a proud father of three young children, it broke my heart to hear these same stories time and time again of how incarceration, violence, gangs or drugs have broken homes, damaged spirits and percieved self worth of these students.
It became clear that the most critical piece to helping students become positive and productive citizens is the infusion of love, accountability and consistency in their lives. These students need mentors. Role models. People they can relate to, look up to and can help them discover their value, instill hope and help them navigate through the challenges standing in between them and their dreams.
Before I concluded my research, I got input from parents, grandparents, guardians, educators, administrators, correctional agencies, police officers, politicians and anyone else I could talk with about the challenges and existing solutions for this complex population. The feedback was quite clear. There are simply not enough existing resources to adequately address the needs of this challenged group.
The Champion Academy Mentoring & Empowerment Initiative is truly a much-needed program for the Rochester, NY community.
We believe that these students can succeed. Many of these students really want to learn. They simply need more interaction with individuals able to provide the unique blend of authenticity, consistency, discipline, encouragement and guidance they can relate to.
The Champion Academy Mentoring & Empowerment Initiative helps at-risk students to succeed through the power of:
-E-Mentorship
-Mental Performance Training
-Community Service
-Peer Leadership
-Sports Participation
-Strategic Collaboration
-Technology
-Celebrity Integration
We kicked off this program in August 2014 with a two-week summer mentoring program for 423 Rochester City School District students grades 7-12. Participants represented more than a dozen local gangs. More than 90% of attendees also lived in fatherless homes. More than 95% were receiving free or reduced lunch at school.
Over the course of two weeks, lives were changed. Hearts opened. Stereotypes shattered. Students inspired. It was beautiful. But as my grandma used to always say, seeing is believing. If you haven't already, please check out the powerful short video made by one of our passionate mentors at the top of this GoFundMe page. Once you see the video, I know you understand why the Champion Academy Mentorship & Empowerment Initiative is a program worth supporting.
Famous author and anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
I couldn’t agree with her more. I believe we can turn things around by helping students learn that the power to change themselves is inside of them. I believe we can teach students learn the value of community and civic responsibility if we simply provide the education, accountability and consistency students need to learn.
But trust me, there is no more time to waste. I've been inside the schools. Visiting Rochester's toughest neighborhoods. Listening. Learning. Seeing student's outrageous posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. All the pain, anger, confusion and frustration are deeply troubling. Students are loosing hope. No matter how you cut it, a generation of poor, uneducated, uninspired and frustrated hurts the entire nation and sets us up for a very scary future.
So you know, our financial goal is to underwrite the Champion Academy for 3 years to service up to 500 participants. Good news—through corporate and private support, we’ve already secured more than half our $1,000,000+ goal. But its not enough. We need to get people with a heart to get involved. Large funders want to see that it's more than just a priviledged few who believe these students are a cause worth fighting for.
Please join Enactus' effort to help me prove that there are many people who believe these students are valuable beyond measure.
In 2015, The Champion Academy will officially kick off with our FREE 2-Week mentoring program for up to 500 middle and high school students grades 7-11 from Monday, July 6th - Friday, July 17th, 2015.
Just like last year, the summer portion of the Champion Academy will include FREE bus transportation to/from, lunch, dinner, music, fun, positive mentorship, engaging games, sports competition and a life-changing educational curriculum including topics such as:
-Conflict Resolution
-Leadership
-Civic Responsibility
-Social Etiquette
-Time Management
-Health & Nutrition
-Financial Literacy
-Teamwork
-College & Career Readiness
-Goal Achievement
Once the summer program is complete, the Champion Academy will just be heating up. We have a host of strategies to continue to educate, motivate and inspire students during the school year including daily wake up calls, weekly e-mentorship sessions, monthly group activities and much more.
We are looking for citizens who are tired off seeing at risk middle and high school students make poor choices and are ready for intelligent actions to this crisis.
I am so thankful for the efforts of Roberts Wesleyan College and their Enactus team for leading the charge to make a difference through this crowdfunding campaign. They are true champions in my book.
Please join our efforts and make a donation to the Champion Academy. No amount is too small. As an extra incentive, we even have some special gifts for each donation of more than $10.
I look forward to your support.
Roland Williams
NFL Super Bowl Champion
High Performance & Team Building Expert
Author | Keynote Speaker | Philanthropist | Proud Dad
-An intelligent game plan
-An emphasis on teamwork
-Courageous individuals who will do what it takes to win.
Right now, there is an urgent and critical game being played in my hometown of Rochester, NY that has brought me to tears and requires immediate action. I am so thankful to the students of Roberts Wesleyan College's Enactus team for providing this exciting platform to tell the world about this crisis happening in upstate New York.
So let me get right to it...
Did you know that recent reports have confirmed that Rochester, New York is:
-#1 in high school dropout rates of black and latino males in the US?
-#1 in extreme poverty among mid-size cities in US?
-#1 in New York State per capita in murders?
-#1 in New York State per capita in HIV infections?
-#4 in single family homes in the US?
Shocking right?
As a Rochester, NY native and proud graduate of its school district, when I heard the news, I was heartbroken. Disgusted. Outraged. But most importantly, inspired to do something to make a difference.
For eight months, I commuted back and forth from my home in Los Angeles, CA to Rochester to listen and learn directly from middle and high school students about their fears, roadblocks and what they felt they needed to succeed. For the better part of a year, I heard theirstories. Embraced their pains. Saw their tears. It brought up painful memories from my childhood and reminded me that many of the challenges I faced as a student have only grown. Then there was this horrific discovery…
Of the hundreds of students I interviewed, more than 80% of them said they had never:
--Been told “I love you” from their father before.
--Been hugged (literally) by their father before.
--Been encouraged to be a positive citizen by their father.
In fact, most of the students I talked to said they had little to no relationship with their fathers at all. Truly sobering.
As a proud father of three young children, it broke my heart to hear these same stories time and time again of how incarceration, violence, gangs or drugs have broken homes, damaged spirits and percieved self worth of these students.
It became clear that the most critical piece to helping students become positive and productive citizens is the infusion of love, accountability and consistency in their lives. These students need mentors. Role models. People they can relate to, look up to and can help them discover their value, instill hope and help them navigate through the challenges standing in between them and their dreams.
Before I concluded my research, I got input from parents, grandparents, guardians, educators, administrators, correctional agencies, police officers, politicians and anyone else I could talk with about the challenges and existing solutions for this complex population. The feedback was quite clear. There are simply not enough existing resources to adequately address the needs of this challenged group.
The Champion Academy Mentoring & Empowerment Initiative is truly a much-needed program for the Rochester, NY community.
We believe that these students can succeed. Many of these students really want to learn. They simply need more interaction with individuals able to provide the unique blend of authenticity, consistency, discipline, encouragement and guidance they can relate to.
The Champion Academy Mentoring & Empowerment Initiative helps at-risk students to succeed through the power of:
-E-Mentorship
-Mental Performance Training
-Community Service
-Peer Leadership
-Sports Participation
-Strategic Collaboration
-Technology
-Celebrity Integration
We kicked off this program in August 2014 with a two-week summer mentoring program for 423 Rochester City School District students grades 7-12. Participants represented more than a dozen local gangs. More than 90% of attendees also lived in fatherless homes. More than 95% were receiving free or reduced lunch at school.
Over the course of two weeks, lives were changed. Hearts opened. Stereotypes shattered. Students inspired. It was beautiful. But as my grandma used to always say, seeing is believing. If you haven't already, please check out the powerful short video made by one of our passionate mentors at the top of this GoFundMe page. Once you see the video, I know you understand why the Champion Academy Mentorship & Empowerment Initiative is a program worth supporting.
Famous author and anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
I couldn’t agree with her more. I believe we can turn things around by helping students learn that the power to change themselves is inside of them. I believe we can teach students learn the value of community and civic responsibility if we simply provide the education, accountability and consistency students need to learn.
But trust me, there is no more time to waste. I've been inside the schools. Visiting Rochester's toughest neighborhoods. Listening. Learning. Seeing student's outrageous posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. All the pain, anger, confusion and frustration are deeply troubling. Students are loosing hope. No matter how you cut it, a generation of poor, uneducated, uninspired and frustrated hurts the entire nation and sets us up for a very scary future.
So you know, our financial goal is to underwrite the Champion Academy for 3 years to service up to 500 participants. Good news—through corporate and private support, we’ve already secured more than half our $1,000,000+ goal. But its not enough. We need to get people with a heart to get involved. Large funders want to see that it's more than just a priviledged few who believe these students are a cause worth fighting for.
Please join Enactus' effort to help me prove that there are many people who believe these students are valuable beyond measure.
In 2015, The Champion Academy will officially kick off with our FREE 2-Week mentoring program for up to 500 middle and high school students grades 7-11 from Monday, July 6th - Friday, July 17th, 2015.
Just like last year, the summer portion of the Champion Academy will include FREE bus transportation to/from, lunch, dinner, music, fun, positive mentorship, engaging games, sports competition and a life-changing educational curriculum including topics such as:
-Conflict Resolution
-Leadership
-Civic Responsibility
-Social Etiquette
-Time Management
-Health & Nutrition
-Financial Literacy
-Teamwork
-College & Career Readiness
-Goal Achievement
Once the summer program is complete, the Champion Academy will just be heating up. We have a host of strategies to continue to educate, motivate and inspire students during the school year including daily wake up calls, weekly e-mentorship sessions, monthly group activities and much more.
We are looking for citizens who are tired off seeing at risk middle and high school students make poor choices and are ready for intelligent actions to this crisis.
I am so thankful for the efforts of Roberts Wesleyan College and their Enactus team for leading the charge to make a difference through this crowdfunding campaign. They are true champions in my book.
Please join our efforts and make a donation to the Champion Academy. No amount is too small. As an extra incentive, we even have some special gifts for each donation of more than $10.
I look forward to your support.
Roland Williams
NFL Super Bowl Champion
High Performance & Team Building Expert
Author | Keynote Speaker | Philanthropist | Proud Dad
Organizer
Roland Williams
Organizer
Rochester, NY
