Hope
Jordon Payne is sending a message to McKeesport Area
students that life after high school can take you anywhere if you
make the right choices. A little guidance and inspiration, he said,
was all he needed to establish a path toward success through
education and athletics. "Growing up, I had a bad temper," Payne
recalled. "I always loved basketball because it was an outlet for
getting out anger, frustration, or any other pain. Playing sports
helped me get my head on straight. It taught me to focus and
keep my head in the game - to finish, to stick with it." Payne
carried that vibe into other areas of his life: schoolwork, family,
and friendships. He attributed much of his success to eighth-
grade teacher Mr. O'Neil, who left the district several years ago in
a move to North Carolina. "He made me realize that I was letting
my anger get the best of me and that I shouldn't be going that
way," Payne said. "He taught me to take my time, to be patient.
Don't rush things. Take a look at every opportunity, because
you never know what could come your way." Today, Payne is
taking a semester off from studying criminal justice at Penn State
University in hope of landing a basketball career with an overseas
league. He lives with his mother and younger siblings, and he's
working in retail while still playing basketball with the JCC League
in Squirrel Hill and the Grit League in Swissvale. Years from now,
Payne said, he hopes to have enjoyed a successful basketball
career overseas and will return to his community as a juvenile
probation officer, who can mentor at-risk youth and set them on
a better path. "In McKeesport, we are all together," he said. "Even
when we are far apart, we stay behind each other. I would love to
come back here to be a positive role model for this community."
organizations, we will find acts of kindness for which we all can be proud.
Living the Message awards are intended to showcase these individuals and give
the community an opportunity to share its good news. Awards are given quarterly.
Using 250 words or fewer, describe how the individual of your choice embodies
one of the four words.
Members of our community know Jamie Brewster Filotei
as a teacher and city councilwoman, and they know
Mindy Sturgess as a member of our elected school board.
What they may not know is that these women are the driving force
behind a toy drive among friends to provide full Santa service to
a handful of local families in need. Each year, Filotei and Sturgess
reach out to Twin Rivers, Francis McClure and Founders Hall schools
in the McKeesport Area district and choose one family from each
building to serve. They talk with parents about their children's
interests, hobbies, and needs. From there, they band together
with friends and go shopping. "When you hear people say, 'It
feels better to give than to receive,' that's true," Filotei said. "When
we get together, and we are able to get whole stacks of gifts to
families who need them - whether it's clothing or toys - we know
we are doing something good." Sturgess and Filotei said their
vision would not be possible without the generosity and support
of their longtime friends, who are fellow educators and parents
themselves. For these individuals to give what they can to help
others during the holiday season, they said, is heartwarming. "The
McKeesport Area School District family has rallied behind us, and
we've been able to add another family each year," Sturgess said.
"It's become a tradition, and it's a fun opportunity to get together
and celebrate the holidays by helping others." Sturgess and Filotei
each have more than 20 years of experience in the education field,
and they know how much of an impact the holiday season has
on students, especially those in need. "We know our families, and
we know they appreciate this," Filotei said. "They will remember
this experience, and maybe someday they can pay it forward to
someone else in need."
For more information, contact the mayor’s office at 412-675-5020, ext. 605.
Nominations can be mailed to the mayor’s assistant Jennifer Vertullo, 500 Fifth
Avenue, McKeesport, PA 15132, or emailed to [email protected]. The
deadline for the next round of nominations is February 17, 2020.
MCKEESPORT AREA
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WINTER 2019
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