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From the Heart How one Prodigy instructor assures student success
#IamProdigy
One Village, a Voice of Many
Pictured above: Development Specialist Davida A. Bowen’s favorite photo from the Turn Up III Prodigy Dance Battle
Pictured above: Prodigy Instructor Jay Tillman lines his students up to rehearse a step routine for their 2017 showcase. Standing a stoutly six and a half feet tall, Jay Tillman towers over his group of middle school Prodigy students at the Freddy Solomon Boys & Girls Club. For 3 years he’s been at the helm of F.S. 88, a step and drum line team for BGC Brandon Prodigy. Through relentless persistence, he has instilled a high level of discipline in his students which has propelled F.S. 88 to become highly recognized and acclaimed in the Tampa Bay area. Yet, beyond Mr. Tillman’s tough demeanor lies the heart of a gentle giant. It’s that balance of austerity and love which makes his students successful. “I believe a coach is supposed to motivate the people under them to be better,” shared Mr. Tillman, who is mostly referred to as Coach Jay. He came up with the idea of F.S. 88 when he was asked to put something together the kids could be proud to represent. He was also asked to make sure it would be big enough to stand on its on. “Freddie Solomon, that's where the F.S. comes from and his jersey number in the NFL was 88,” Coach Jay asserted. The Freddie Solomon Boys & Girls Club already had a rich heritage in the Nuccio neighborhood of Tampa because of the work of its late namesake as an after school mentor and youth football coach. “F.S.88 is more than a step team or drum line or production team. F.S.88 is a dedication to the legacy of a man that I can honestly say I've never met but I know why he is missed. I can only hope I can inspire as many people as he did in my time.“ Coach Jay’s approach lends to his students’ success both inside and outside of the classroom. “If you teach self-discipline and instruct them to believe, achieve and accomplish they can use these methods to excel in the classroom as well,” he insisted. “My self-discipline allows them to push themselves when the classroom throws them a challenge.“ According to Coach Jay, at the end of the day, the success of his Prodigy students relies upon his own intent. Professing his purpose, he shared, “I believe leaders are born not chosen.” Ultimately, Coach Jay is doing just what he was born to do - lead. - Contributed by Rosie Jensing, Prodigy Professional Development Specialist
If you are on social media, Prodigy needs your help. We are trying to make prospective donors aware of the wonderful work we do. To help spread the word about our program, we ask that you take a moment to post either a photo of your favorite Prodigy moment or work of art. You can also simply post a selfie. When publishing your post, please use #IamProdigy and tag the Prodigy Cultural Arts Program, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, the University Area CDC and your local legislators. For more information about how you can support our program, please contact Prodigy Director Mike Trepper at 813-558-5212 ext. 313 or via email at mtrepper@uacdc.org.
The Prodigy Cultural Arts Program is much more than your typical afterschool program. Last year, through the delivery of 16,500 annual hours of art infused life skills to 3,455 students, our program helped save Florida’s juvenile justice system $160 million! That amounts to over $400,000 a day!