Visits a slam dunk with enthusiastic students

Pleasant Plains Elementary Principal Maureen Partilla is flanked by Harlem Globetrotters Eugene Edgerson (left) and Barry Hardy (right).

Recognized throughout the world as “Ambassadors of Goodwill” as well as masters of basketball hardwood high jinx, the Harlem Globetrotters have also forged a reputation for bringing a message of healthy minds and bodies to schools across the nation.

Both former and current team members spend parts of each week reaching out to children in schools, both as role models and to promote both physical fitness and character education, both of which dovetail with aspects of the BCPS curriculum.

Two of the Globetrotter ambassadors, Eugene “Killer” Edgerton and Barry “High Rise” Hardy, visited several Baltimore County public schools recently, including Pleasant Plains Elementary School on February 22 and Hampton Elementary School on February 24. In school wide assemblies, they captured the students’ attention and delighted staff and children alike with their basketball prowess.

Globetrotters Eugene Edgerson and Barry Hardy welcome a Pleasant Plains student on stage as they discuss character education and keeping physically fit.

In addition to encouraging children to exercise at least an hour each day, the two roundball virtuosos also discussed a central component of the group’s school outreach program. This program, C.H.E.E.R. (Cooperation/Health/Energy/Enthusiasm/ Responsibility), began two years ago during the group’s 2004 North American tour. Since then, the group or its members have visited nearly 400 elementary schools and spoken to more than 200,000 students.

Globetrotter Barry "High Rise" Hardy cuts an imposing figure as he towers above the children of Pleasant Plains Elementary School.

Designed with technical assistance from the U.S. Department of Education and educators from several states nationwide, the C.H.E.E.R. program encourages good decision-making skills for students. According to the Globetrotters’ web site, “Character Education involves getting kids to care about school and each other in order to better prepare the students for the challenges they will soon face as young adults. . . . Research also shows these programs can help students achieve better grades at every level of their education.”
While at Pleasant Plains, Edgerton and Hardy involved students and Principal Maureen Partilla into their act, demonstrating some of the famous Globetrotter ball-handling moves to the team’s warm-up song, “Sweet Georgia Brown.”

 

 

Story by Jackie Marsalek, ESOL teacher and Good News Ambassador at Pleasant Plains Elementary School. Photographs by Stewart Emmerich, art teacher, Pleasant Plains Elementary School.