Klein Sun - News
Students learn from KFHS men’s summit
By VALERIE JONES
Sophomore boys at Klein Forest High School attended a forum for young men Wednesday where they were given advice and offered guidance from several speakers throughout the day.
A similar forum for girls was held earlier in the week and was the second summit offered for the girls at Klein Forest, but this marks the first year for a men’s summit.
After the success with the women’s summit, school officials felt a men’s summit could be just as beneficial.
Both forums were funded through a grant from the Klein Education Foundation and the American Association of University Women.
Guest speaker and New Orleans native Doc Holiday spoke to the boys about how hard work helped him become an entrepreneur.
Students were impressed to learn that Holiday was friends with several notable rap artists, including Lil Wayne and Master P.
Holiday also spoke against gang violence and the idea of gangs being cool.
“Being in a gang doesn’t make you tough. It’s like 100 people against one person,” he said. “What’s tough is making it to the top without getting into trouble.”
Holiday gave the young men advice on how to be successful.
“Study hard, work hard and never let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do,” he said.
Students attended five sessions with five different speakers, rotating after each session. Each speaker focused on a different aspect to teach students and each was engaging and energetic in hopes of reaching the youth.
“It was really encouraging,” Adiel Jacobo, 16, said after his first session. “It got my attention and I liked how (the speaker) presented the concept of getting away from the attitude of ‘I can’t do’ to ‘I can.’”
Fifteen-year-old Alex Gerder agreed.
“It really struck some people,” Gerder said. “You shouldn’t think about other people because other people will bring you down. You have to take it upon yourself to rise up and succeed.”
A similar forum for girls was held earlier in the week and was the second summit offered for the girls at Klein Forest, but this marks the first year for a men’s summit.
After the success with the women’s summit, school officials felt a men’s summit could be just as beneficial.
Both forums were funded through a grant from the Klein Education Foundation and the American Association of University Women.
Guest speaker and New Orleans native Doc Holiday spoke to the boys about how hard work helped him become an entrepreneur.
Students were impressed to learn that Holiday was friends with several notable rap artists, including Lil Wayne and Master P.
Holiday also spoke against gang violence and the idea of gangs being cool.
“Being in a gang doesn’t make you tough. It’s like 100 people against one person,” he said. “What’s tough is making it to the top without getting into trouble.”
Holiday gave the young men advice on how to be successful.
“Study hard, work hard and never let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do,” he said.
Students attended five sessions with five different speakers, rotating after each session. Each speaker focused on a different aspect to teach students and each was engaging and energetic in hopes of reaching the youth.
“It was really encouraging,” Adiel Jacobo, 16, said after his first session. “It got my attention and I liked how (the speaker) presented the concept of getting away from the attitude of ‘I can’t do’ to ‘I can.’”
Fifteen-year-old Alex Gerder agreed.
“It really struck some people,” Gerder said. “You shouldn’t think about other people because other people will bring you down. You have to take it upon yourself to rise up and succeed.”
Copyright © 2009 - Houston Community Newspapers Online