Dominique Wilkins preaches patience, hard work at Monk Jones Lecture Series at Carver

“Human Highlight Film” took on a whole new meaning Friday morning when Dominique Wilkins — the most celebrated Atlanta Hawks player of all time — served as the guest speaker at the second annual Calvin “Monk” Jones Lecture Series at The New Schools at Carver. Wilkins inspired the guests of honor — the 2010 Coca-Cola Scholar Athlete Awards winners from around APS — with his speech.

“You need patience,” said Wilkins, 50, in speaking to the students. “It’s when you try to do too much too soon is when you mess up. That, and hard work (are keys to success).” Earlier, he told the audience, “I knew I would be a professional basketball player when I was about 15 years old, but I I knew I also had to educate myself on life.”

Washington High student Jatavious M. Lumpkin presided over the ceremonies, while Carver’s JROTC Color Guard presented the colors of the U.S. flag. The national anthem was performed by the Mays High Athletic Band Ensemble directed by William Earvin. Atlanta Board of Education Chair LaChandra Butler Burks and APS Associate Superintendent for High Schools Randolph Bynum provided the welcoming remarks. Douglass High’s Marques Harris, the 2010 Male Superintendent Scholar Athlete, offered a recognition of the special guests. North Atlanta High’s Julia Durham, the 2010 Female Superintendent Scholar Athlete, offered an introduction to Wilkins. Billette D. Owens-Ashford, director of health, physical education at athletics, recognized the 2010 Coca-Cola Scholar Athletes with the help of Don Osborne and Dannelle J. Thomas of Coca-Cola Enterprises.

Wilkins, a former All-SEC star from the University of Georgia, is an NBA Hall of Famer based mostly on his years with the Hawks where he spent 12 seasons. He finished his 16-year career having averaged 24.8 points and 6.7 rebounds. the two-time dunk contest champion’s windmill jams helped earned him the nickname “The Human Highlight Film.” He currently serves as the Hawks’ vice-president of basketball, and provides color analysis for the Hawks’ broadcast networks.

Julia Durham (pictured, above left) was a perfect choice to introduce Wilkins; her grandfather, Hugh Durham, coached Wilkins at the University of Georgia. Julia Durham’s parents attended the ceremony. After his speech, Wilkins fielded several questions from the audience, including how it felt to play against Michael Jordan. He quipped, “You should ask Michael Jordan what it was like to play against me!” as the crowd laughed.

The series honors Jones, the legendary former Carver boys’ basketball coach who guided his program through the desegregation of the Georgia High School Association tournament in the late 1960s. Jones amassed a combined 886-224 record at Carver and his own alma mater, Booker T. Washington, and is credited with three city, eight regional and two state tiles. He later became the first African-American assistant basketball coach at the University of Georgia under then-Coach John Guthrie. He was inducted in June 2009 into the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame and the Georgia Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame.

Here is a list of the 2010 Coca-Cola Scholar Athlete Award winners from around APS …

NEW SCHOOLS AT CARVER
Fine Arts – Janeesa Payne
Achievement Award Male – Brendan Johnson
Achievement Award Female – Treyonna Frazier
Golden Helmet Award – Deric Scott
Scholar Athlete Award Male – Brendan Johnson
Scholar Athlete Award Female – Treyonna Frazier

 DOUGLASS HIGH
Fine Arts – Ashley Kyera Gonsalves
Achievement Award Male – Tommy Gooden
Achievement Award Female – Khaalidah Miller
Golden Helmet Award – Garrison Smith
Scholar Athlete Award Male – Marques Harris
Scholar Athlete Award Female – Brooke Smith 

GRADY HIGH
Fine Arts – Khalyn Yvette Jones
Achievement Award Male – Joseph deGive
Achievement Award Female – Kristin Cooper
Golden Helmet Award – Christopher Walton
Scholar Athlete Award Male – Jackson Martin
Scholar Athlete Award Female – Madeline Roorbach 

MAYNARD H. JACKSON HIGH
Fine Arts – Kiana Odom
Achievement Award Male – Nathaniel Heard
Achievement Award Female Quinnecia Twine
Golden Helmet Award – Jose Avelar
Scholar Athlete Award Male – Deontae Johnson
Scholar Athlete Award Female – Ericka Brown 

MAYS HIGH
Fine Arts – Denera L. James
Achievement Award Male – Acey L. Palmer Jr.
Achievement Award Female Larrisa L. Carter
Golden Helmet Award – Timothy Wynn
Scholar Athlete Award Male – Mambay A. Kanu
Scholar Athlete Award Female – Davina L. High 

NORTH ATLANTA HIGH
Fine Arts – Teresa Momon
Achievement Award Male – Malcolm Perry
Achievement Award Female – Elizabeth Grace Lahasky
Golden Helmet Award Lironta Archie
Scholar Athlete Award Male – Evan Glanville
Scholar Athlete Award Female – Julia Durham 

SOUTH ATLANTA HIGH
Fine Arts – Harine Beshea
Achievement Award Male – Joshua Davis
Achievement Award Female – Alisha Crooks
Golden Helmet Award – Joshua Davis
Scholar Athlete Award Male – JaTaurus Hughley
Scholar Athlete Award Female – Keira Kruger 

THERRELL EDUCATIONAL COMPLEX
Fine Arts – Jessica Reid
Achievement Award Male – Michael Johnson
Achievement Award Female – Ramanda Christian
Golden Helmet Award – Therracus Mims
Scholar Athlete Award Male – Gregory Oshotse
Scholar Athlete Award Female – Zyer Beaty

 WASHINGTON HIGH
Fine Arts – Ceerra Mintz-Basden
Achievement Award Male – Tyrell Lee
Achievement Award Female – Securia Moore
Golden Helmet Award – Antonio Goodwin
Scholar Athlete Award Male – William Samuels Jr.
Scholar Athlete Award Female – Shaeroya Earls 

SUPERINTENDENT SCHOLAR ATHLETE AWARD
Male Marques Harris –Douglass High
Female Julia Durham – North Atlanta High 

COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
Male Michael Reddick – South Atlanta High
Female Natasha Harrigan –Mays High