Bright and early, the Tillman Class of 2012 scurried over to Longfellow Elementary Schooll in Mesa for the awaited Basketball Beyond Barriers Event. BBB was a success! Approximately 90 students attended the camp and they were more excited than ever. The Tillman Scholars arrived promptly at 7:30 am to begin the set up. Basketball camp was to be held from 9 am to 4 pm with a huge lunch break at noon. The camp was divided into two sessions, K-3rd grade in the morning and 4th –6th grade in the afternoon. One by one, a mix of rowdy and excited students presented themselves. Although, basketball was the main focus, the Scholars tried to incorporate a life lesson throughout the day. Respect and bullying in schools was the core and the main theme of the event. For the primary levels, the children’s book, Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon was read to the youngsters as this book explored the uniqueness of a child. In the afternoon, the older students were involved in large group discussions and made, “Who I am” posters. At the end of the day, parents and students appreciated the effort of the team.  A very special thank you to Longfellow’s Principal Mr. Christensen, as he was a valuable asset to the event. We could not have done it without him!

2012 Tillman Scholars-ASU: (front row) Dorian Sanchez, Scott Bohmke, Monica Burba, Betsy Donahue; (back row) Chip Sarafin, Mark Sackley, Allie Oaks, Jenna Smith, Alex Zabaski, Connor Udasco and Gopi Karunamoorthy.