Jeter's Leaders visit Muhammad Ali Center

On July 9, 2007, eight Jeter's Leaders embarked on a four-day trip to the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The purpose of the trip was to learn more about the Muhammad Ali Center and teach the Muhammad Ali Center Council (MACCs) about the Jeter's Leaders Program. The Jeter's Leaders were able to take part in team building activities at the Jefferson Memorial Forest, take a tour of the Louisville Slugger Museum, and eat dinner at the Hard Rock Café.

The Jeter's Leaders also participated in a number of activities at the Muhammad Ali Center. They participated in a scaled-down version of the Amazing Race called, "The Greatest Race", in which they had to follow clues to answer questions about Muhammad Ali and the Muhammad Ali Center.

After "The Greatest Race", the Jeter's Leaders and the MACCs worked on a project called "Patchwork for Peace". The groups made quilts for children living in war-torn countries in Africa. Each student was responsible for making at least one patch for the quilt and with the help of the instructor, the patches were brought together to make three quilts.

The next activity the Jeter's Leaders and MACCs participated in was a workshop on African dance. The facilitator used traditional African movements, music and deep metaphors to teach the participants the importance of embracing different cultures. Based on the teachings of the facilitator, the groups had to work together to create a performance piece using dance, music, drama and singing. The participants were instructed to create their performance pieces with an emphasis on seven elements: Attitude, Feelings, Listening, Focus, Observation, Practice and Role. The groups also used authentic African drums and colorful strips of cloth in their performances.

The visit came to an end on July 12th with the Jeter's Leaders program presentation. The presentation was a collaborative effort between the Kalamazoo and New York Jeter's Leaders Programs. This trip was very inspirational and educational for the Jeter's Leaders and the MACCs. Upon the Jeter's Leaders return to their respective cities, they shared the information they learned with their fellow Jeter's Leaders who had not attended the trip.

The Jeter’s Leaders is a youth leadership, social change program named by the captain of the New york Yankees, Derek Jeter, and funded by his Turn 2 Foundation. The program is designed to promote healthy lifestyles, academic achievement and social change activism among high school students.

Jeter’s Leaders Information