Morehouse Whiz Kid is Causing a Stir: 13-Year-Old Dominates College

Here's the real problem facing all youth- not just African-American youth: instant gratification. Instant Gratification! We live in a society where athletes don't even finish high school before being plucked by the pros; a society where only those with cash in their pocket get the ______________ (fill in the blank) and everything must be done yesterday. If a child has no guidance in their home, how can they be expected to make the right decisions? Some are absolutely driven to succeed and will regardless of the hurdles. I, for one, can say with absolute certainty that at 16 years old, I didn't know the right questions to ask. To wit: a small school in Florida offered me a scholarship to play football for them and all that was left for my parents(who were both drug addicts btw) to pay was $800 per year. Guess what? They couldn't afford it. So, I didn't get to live that dream. I called everyone and not one person could offer advice let alone $800 to get a kid out of a bad situation. A year later, after realizing that being a landscaper wasn't in my genes, I went to Nassau Community College to enroll. Since I lived alone at age 17, it wasn't possible to get financial aid and no counselor knew how to get around the fact that my parents didn't file taxes, let alone pay any. I think that many kids simply give up because they cannot get the right answers or guidance from those around them in a position to give it. So, let's do something right now. Let's get out and help a child we see crying for it that holds promise. Please, do it now.

On a positive note, I did figure out only a few years later how to get into school, graduate, start a company, buy houses and became a success. The young man this story is about - Stephen Stafford - will have access to guidance that others dream about. Hopefully, he will return the favor and mentor others who might otherwise be "pushing weight" on the block.

I hope he inspires more 18 yr olds (and older) to achieve!

Mink, I made a reference to "The American Dream". What I was referring to, was my own impression of what the American Dream is, there is no ideal, at least not in my own mind. In my case, it was a standard middle class upbringing. 2 parents until I was 16, when the old man died. Not too bad a student, but then I discovered drugs, quit college before graduating, 20 years of drugs, stealing, incarceration and all the bullshit that goes along with it. About 10 years ago, quit with all the bullshit, and now, the American Dream. I'm a long way from being rich. But I do what I want to do, when I want to do it, within reason.

Another case. I've got a stepkid from a 3rd world country. Came here when he was 16 or so, and finished high school here. He told me that the kids in his country, were doing the same work in 8th grade as the Seniors in this country. A 3rd world country. Right now, highest honors at UC Berkeley. No worries. Also, the American Dream.

As for people blaming inferior schools, you get out what you put in. If you think your kids school is inferior, home school them. If you leave them in what you consider a shitty school, I don't see how you can blame the school. The school is not a baby sitter. The school is not there to teach your kids how to act. It is there to teach them how to become a responsible adult. They should be disciplined before they ever get there, but sadly, this is usually not the case.

Sports? Well, USC just got busted again for allowing someone to give their star player a new Range Rover. And there is talk about his family living in a new house, when it was living in a shitty neighborhood before. It shows the importance placed on sports, there is a pretty good chance that that player is functionally illiterate.

I could picture the black man voice writing that article

I applaud Stephen Stafford, but I think Dr. Boyce is going about this the wrong way.

The problem is not that our students do not want to apply themselves, but that our schools do not provide them with the necessary tools to achieve. Stafford was also lucky to have a parent dedicated to his education; not every household has a parent or parents with such a dedication to educating their children. If our cultural society can stop the glorification of street cred over an education, that would be a step in the right direction.

Sports should be used as a tool and a motivation to achieve a higher education; not only in college, but in high school as well. But more importantly, we should be pushing our children to elevate at home. Here in lies the biggest problem: How do working-class parents make time to help their child excel? Especially if they are out of the home most of the day to support the household? Single parent households are often in a worse predicament.

While we can make an effort the best we can, sometime we fall short and other times parents just are not very concerned. This is where the community needs to step in. The surest way to secure your neighborhood is to influence the youth at a young age. If the city will not provide an outlet for children, it is up to the community to reach out to them. Do not cut sports programs; offer alternatives. Writing clubs, chess clubs, after-school homework study, arts and crafts, dance, etc. Stop letting the culture influence the youth and give the youth the tools to influence the culture. Once they become educated and influenced, they will begin to influence the world around them, and the influence will begin to affect the culture in a positive manner. It will transform the inner city from lackluster to luxurious.

Stephen Stafford is the potential of what all African American have within them. They can achieve, but the only when the environment allows them to grow in a positive manner will they thrive. The thugs and drug dealers will have no hold on an educated mind, and will die out. But breaking the cycle is a process that will take the time and effort of ALL civic-minded citizens.

Taking the previous posts into account, I believe at the same time we commend the young brother, we need to examine what people term the "American Dream," and why we continue to give credence to it. Can people as a whole come up with some overall benchmarks for standards of living/treatment/rights? Might want to put some analysis as to exactly why being ignorant becomes cooler after adolescence in some populations, and why the genius within these groups (or at least its publicizing) are reduced to a sort of exceptionalism. Does projecting this dreamscape have a good hit rate, success wise?

This might stave much of the confusion and frustration of dealing with the typical issues highlighted in the article (tracking in schools, propagation of a single-sided masculinity, low expectations/esteem, police terrorism, etc.)

On the political economy side, it has everything to do with who chooses those industries where certain ethnic groups/classes are able to interface and exert a modicum of control, and also why some commenters that probably identify as white are not delving deeper into why they may get offended at simple "praise."

I dont know what it is about this article but it offends me. It just affirms racism is an accepted part of culture these days.

"Stephen Stafford, in my opinion, represents exactly what black men are about: Intelligence, ambition and high academic achievement." What is this based on? One prodigy? And why isn't the article about the kid instead of what the dumb ass author thinks about educations and sports?

i don't care much for the commentary against sports. if you're in a situation where you have crap education in a poor public school district yet also have programs to keep you disciplined and off the streets (sports), don't knock the programs. a lot of kids and their parents choose sports to teach other important skills like teamwork and dedication. sports aren't only played by black males. there are hundreds of sports and every school institution from the private catholic schools to the all girls liberal arts schools play sports. i get the argument about education but he doesn't take into consideration what quality of education is offered. happiness is a personal endeavor. if someone wants to play sports and has the dedication and talent for it, let them do it. don't give them underhanded insults about what they should be doing for society to consider them smart.

Amen!

It's not just black kids, Keith, it's everyone. From a kid who's parents came to the US illegally, to poor white kids from the backwoods of Georgia, to Haitian Immigrants, to the kids next door, if you want it bad enough, you can get it.

As for George Bush, well, oil money can buy you a diploma. But for nearly everyone else, hard work, applying yourself, doing what you should be doing, instead of trying to get easy money, can get you the American Dream.

This is a very refreshing thread. I hear a lot of excuses from people I know, about how they will never get anywhere because: they are discriminated against, their parents aren't rich, they have a dead end job, their teachers hate them (really!), there is no money and no future in this town, the illegals took their job, the economy is keeping them down, the Republicans are working against them, the Democrats are working against them, etc., etc.

If you are willing to work for it, it's there.

Thank you Keith for posting this. This is an inspiring article which highlights some challenges facing the black community. "they've been taught to measure grams and kilos or to memorize football playbooks ", that’s typical way the media presents us, as rappers, drug dealers or athletes and its become so common of representation that we believe it ourselves, that these are the only things we are capable of.

The Media gives the shaft to Black intellectuals and from within the black community you get called an "Uncle Tom" if don't speak Black vernacular. It’s good to see a kid who is able to fight the internal and external pressures to make decisions in line with society view of the black stereotype.

Hey keith whats your opinion of T. Sowell's analysis of black education?

http://www.tsowell.com/speducat.html

"Every child is college material if they want to be. That's the truth."

If you got a kid who want to be there, send them to www.academicearth.org in the mean time.

Show 'em how it's done, Stephen Stafford!

Who knows ? This kid could be the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, or possibly even Albert Einstein.