COACH AVERY JOHNSON INSPIRES DALLAS CAN ACADEMY STUDENTS

Avery Johnson, former NBA player and Dallas Mavericks head coach, captivated students at the Ross Avenue Dallas Can Academy campus last week with his very personal story of growing up in the projects of New Orleans and professional sports success. Johnson visits schools as a part of Just Say YES (Youth Equipped to Succeed), a Richardson-based nonprofit organization bringing motivational and inspirational programs and speakers to schools.

The assembly was held at the Ross Avenue Dallas Can Academies campus with a group of about 200 students. Johnson talked about academic focus, overcoming obstacles, showing respect for others and striving for excellence in every aspect of life. Johnson drove home advice about choosing “who you hang out with” wisely and used his own analogy, “Don’t hang with parked cars, because they don’t go anywhere.”

“This was a nice treat for our students. The impact Coach Avery is making in the lives of youth is powerful,” said Rawly Sanchez, principal of Dallas Can Academy Ross Avenue.

Just Say YES programs are customized for the specific needs of the individual school/organization and have been conducted in 38 states, reaching more than 500,000 students, parents and educators.