- April 18, 2024
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Palm Coast resident Monica Oliver reads "Salt in His Shoes" about Michael Jordan to second-graders at Belle Terre Elementary. Photo by Paige Wilson
Palm Coast resident Davaughn Brown dresses as Black Panther, a Marvel superhero, while holding up his world's powerlifting belt. Photo by Paige Wilson
Port Orange residents Edgar Scott and Michelle Carter-Scott interact with second-graders at Belle Terre Elementary before reading to them. Michelle Carter-Scott is the mother of NBA player Vince Carter. Photo by Paige Wilson
Second-grader Steven Ortiz raises his hand to ask how people can dunk with one hand, after volunteer Monica Oliver reads the book "Salt in His Shoes" written by Michael Jordan's mother and sister. Photo by Paige Wilson
Port Orange resident Edgar Scott reads to second-graders at Belle Terre Elementary School. Photo by Paige Wilson
A room full of second-graders at Belle Terre Elementary School popped their hands up into the air, eager to get called on.
“Does Michael Jordan really put salt in his shoes?” asked one student.
“How can people dunk with one hand?” asked another.
As part of BTES’ second-annual African American Read-In, Palm Coast resident Monica Oliver had just finished reading “Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream” by Deloris and Roslyn Jordan, the famous NBA player’s mother and sister, to the second-graders in Shea O’Donnell’s classroom when the students started asking questions.
Oliver is married to former NFL player Darryl Oliver, which sparked the interest for many of the students. This was her second time volunteering to read for BTES students.
“It’s important we make the connection in our community with all children, so all children will know the contributions African Americans made,” Oliver said.
All the books read in classroom on Thursday, Feb. 22, were written by African American authors. While many of the volunteer readers were African Americans themselves, there were other backgrounds represented as well. Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland and Flagler County Undersheriff Jack Bisland were among the readers.
“If you notice, we don’t have just African Americans in here,” said BTES Principal Dr. Terence Culver. “We have Americans in here, and people who live in this country who want to show the world that there is a future for our youth. And by exposing (students) to these people, that’s going to make a difference in their lives. They can sit and talk to the mayor or whatever your profession is and say, ‘Hey, I remember that in elementary school, I want to be a fireman; I want to be a doctor,’ whatever jobs our readers are.”
When Daytona Beach resident Tharell Roberts was a student, he didn’t have the experience of a guest speaker reading to him, so he attended the event to be a role model for youth.
“I feel that it causes everyone to say, ‘OK, if he can do it, I can do it, as well,’ and not limit themselves to having to be a certain color or race to be successful,” Roberts said. “Everybody can be successful if they just push through.”
Port Orange residents Edgar Scott and Michelle Carter-Scott walked into a second-grade classroom with the same inspirational message in mind.
“We’re here for you,” Scott said. “We want you to learn and meet your goals.”
The couple read “Brothers of the Knight” by Debbie Allen to students in Nicole Massey’s classroom.
Massey said her class was just learning about the power of words and the impact that words said by African Americans, like Martin Luther King Jr., have had on history.
“We want to make sure that we are reaching every student, and so often, we neglect different nationalities,” Culver said. “But we want students to feel like they can be successful. Every student that walks out of Belle Terre, I pray that they are successful.”
