[Stiggers] Poor Kids’ Hoop Dreams

Let’s hear a message from the Ghetto Science Team’s school superintendent. Grandma Pookie: “Under-funded schools in poor communities anticipate the elimination of athletic programs, which could disable a poor student’s ability to advance in today’s society. The bulk of America’s great athletes rose from poor and working-class communities. Was it not athletics that turned poor kid’s hoop dreams into NBA realities? Don’t fret! Your superintendent announces the GSTAA (Ghetto Science Team’s Athletic Association), an alternative high school athletic program for financially challenged students.

“Some of GSTAA’s objectives are:

1. Secure funding from the LMHFD national bank’s 40 Acres and a Mule Land Grant to purchase two acres of land behind or surrounding Clubb Chicken Wing and Fat Meat’s Burgers-N-Barbeque.

2. Build two football/baseball fields and gymnasiums, to be used as home and away sites for the GSTAA games. Clubb Chicken Wing and Fat Meat’s place will serve as food and refreshment concession areas. (Profits will be used for maintenance, food costs and gas for buses, courtesy of Rev. Cletus’ Car Sales.)

3. Secure funding for uniforms, courtesy of the Cootie Creek M.B. church building fund.

4. Receive donated sport supplies from Jo-Jo’s Discount Dollar Store.

5. Provide athletes with scholarship opportunities to advance in life and the financially challenged community with affordable entertainment.

Remember: East is east, and west is west, but an elephant never forgets. And if the budget cuts come, high school sports may never be the same as G.W. makes the world go round.”

Ken Stiggers is the co-host of The Lyric Lounge Thursday nights at Santiago’s.

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The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.