Mentoring group gives good scholarly habits a whole new rhythm
By Kirsten Ballard
Published in News on December 23, 2014 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/ETHAN SMITH
Bri'Ann Henderson, left, Geraldine Miller and Mya McIntyre dance on stage at the end of J Crew's performance at Dillard Middle School. The group promotes taking education and school seriously.
J Crew is taking Goldsboro by storm.
Not the retail store, but a group of positive role models at Goldsboro High School.
Standing in the auditorium of Dillard Middle School recently, J Crew broke down what it means to be a good student.
They really broke it down.
Through parody songs, raps, dance battles and skits, J Crew entertained the eighth-graders in attendance.
But they were not there to teach the latest dance moves -- or just for fun.
"Even though it was funny, I hope you got the message," Dillard Middle School principal Sonja Emerson told the student audience. "When you walk down these steps on June 10, we want you to be ready for high school."
The message struck home with eighth-grader Kelisia Darden.
"It's about not disrespecting adults," she said. She is Eastern Wayne bound and most excited about her classes in high school.
J Crew was started by academic coach Jacquie Jeffers' desire to promote academics and positive character traits.
Ms. Jeffers wrote and directed all of the skits and raps, including a "Blurred Lines" remake called "I Told U 20 Times." The educational rapper has performed on the K97.5 End of Grade Tour and at events in and out of North Carolina.
The Dillard Middle School performance was J Crew's first outreach project. Ms. Jeffers says they will do another tour closer to end-of-grade testing.
"This meant so much to us," she said.
J Crew is comprised of Goldsboro High School students of all grades. The role models wanted to visit the eighth-graders to impart their wisdom and experience.
"I had to work hard for my GPA," senior Travis Sauls said. "Failure is not in my vocabulary."
Senior Rodney Richardson wanted the middle school students to be prepared for an adjustment.
"There are rules here that you won't have at Goldsboro," he said. He urged them to be smart and to stay focused on academics.
In the humorous video "Ain't Nobody Got Time 4 That," Goldsboro High School teachers and staff illustrated activities to stay away from, including in-school suspension, texting in class, tardies and skipping class to shop.
Brooklyn Vaugn is one of the group's youngest members. She is a freshman at Goldsboro High School.
She wanted to perform at Dillard Middle School to share the experience she had during her first semester of high school, including the obstacles of meeting new people.
"(High school) is not a joke. It is a pathway," she said. "This is a really big deal."