THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, April 9, 1996 TAG: 9604090004
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
While still a graduate student at Regent University, seven years ago, Michael Todd Nelson was asked to develop a program for students at risk of dropping out.
He recently recalled, ``I thought, `God, you've got to help me with this.' Within a half-hour it came to me.''
Nelson created a program called Tomorrow's Thunder that combines basketball and schoolwork. It assigns participating boys to teams that play at noon. It awards players points for good weekly evaluations from their teachers for attendance, promptness, behavior, homework and classwork. What counts is a student's effort to succeed in class - not simply the grades received.
A Tomorrow's Thunder team moves on to playoffs and championships only if its players' combined points from good evaluations off the court and winning games on the court are high.
As staff writer Denise Watson reported, ``Unexcused absences, suspensions or negative reports from teachers get players kicked off the league.''
Nelson, 33, is an Oscar Smith High School counselor. His Tomorrow's Thunder program has expanded from that school to Indian River Middle and Great Bridge High schools. Nelson formed a leadership team of juniors and seniors to pick players who have advanced in classwork and demonstrated leadership abilities.
Recently Nelson was one of 10 educators in the nation named a 1996 Reader's Digest American Hero in Education.
The award is deserved. In forming his program, Nelson took into account something any teacher knows: Many teenagers do not believe, deep down inside, that tomorrow will come. Or if the students believe in tomorrow, they may not fully comprehend that what they do today affects their tomorrows. They have difficulty seeing the value of studying today.
Nelson combined what many male students want to do, play basketball, with something they need to do to be successful tomorrow, work hard in their classes.
Nelson definitely is on to something. His league requires extra work for teachers, and thanks are owed them. Tomorrow's Thunder should expand to more schools. A similar program for girls surely would be worthwhile. by CNB