7th Grader Raises Funds, Awareness for E Prep

“Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.” Mike Singletary

And that’s exactly what the scholar athletes at E Prep are getting ready to do.

“This generous gift will be used to launch and sustain our boys and girls basketball teams,” Chris O’Brien, E Prep Head of School commented. “The funds are being used to purchase uniforms, basketball hoops, practice jerseys, a new scoreboard, renovate the gym floor, and pay for league fees. The monies will be enough to sustain the program for many years.”

The “monies” O’Brien is referring to, were the result of the First Annual E-Prep 4 v 4 Fundraiser held in December at Hawken Middle School. The Round Robin event, which included 30 Hawken and E Prep middle school athletes, was the idea of Hawken 7th grader Charlie Ross, who then carried that idea to its successful completion.

“Charlie was incredibly involved …” O’Brien commented on his efforts. “He was the driving force behind the motivation to collaborate … His kindness, generosity, and entrepreneurial spirit is something that everyone should take note of …”

At the idea’s start, Charlie’s goal was to raise awareness of E Prep, a newly founded free public charter school located in Woodland Hills, and provide O’Brien with the necessary funds to launch E Prep’s first organized sports team. Charlie had become familiar with the school through a fellow teammate on his AAU basketball team.

A tour through the K-8 facilities quickly revealed, however, challenging conditions. The gym was the lunch room. There were no basketball lines on the floor. The baskets were not in good condition, and there was no scoreboard.

So, Charlie thought it might be a good idea to have a Round Robin Tournament fundraiser with student athletes from both schools to further acquaint the Hawken community to the school and its challenges, while at the same time generating some funds to launch an E Prep basketball program. He created informational fundraising flyers that read, in part, “89% of students (from E Prep) are from low income families and minorities … Kids are usually 1-3 years behind in math or reading … The teachers make every minute count .. The main goal at the school is that by the end of the time the students are focused on college and go to good performing public and private high schools in Cleveland.”

And so, the idea took on a life of its own. And either because of the way the story was told, or the bones of the story, or the generous spirit of the people who listened, or a combination of everything … the end result surpassed all original expectations. Charlie’s organized fundraiser generated over $8000, and achieved not only greater community awareness, but also the ability to do all the purchasing and renovating that E Prep Head of School Chris O’Brien commented about at the beginning of this article.

Sometimes athletics is seen as inferior to or a distraction from academics. O’Brien disagrees, and commented on what the implementation of the program can mean to his scholars. “As a former high school athlete, I truly understand the impact that a well-run and supported athletic program can have on a school,” he said. O’Brien, who states he is in the field of education for one purpose only, “to eliminate the achievement gap, to ensure a college degree and a lifetime of opportunity,” always refers to the students of E Prep as “scholars”. “All scholars are developing a sense of pride in the teams and in the school, connecting more to it …” he added, citing other changes brought about by the donations. “The qualities of hard work, persistence, and leadership are tough to replicate in better ways than athletics … We are truly grateful.”

Another fundraiser benefit was, “the ability to connect with other students and establish the beginnings of new friendships,” O’Brien added. Charlie now plans to make this fundraiser an annual event. He is even considering doing it outside the basketball season next year so students from other communities can be included in the Round Robin. Although the fundraiser was never an officially endorsed Hawken event, Charlie’s idea, its spirit and the resulting community support, captures us at our best, a reflection of James H. Hawken’s words on his original goal for our school and its students, “These young scholar-athletes would be trained to enter adult life well equipped to serve their families and communities and to provide examples to the next generation.”