Monday, June 21, 2010
Former Aztec Cornerback Helps Urban Kids Catch a Break
Aazaar Abdul-Rahim founded Positive Choices in Washington, D.C.
Kids attending the Positive Choices football camp on June 12
 | |||||||
Aazaar Abdul-Rahim comes back to San Diego State every year for the Red & Black game, which pits the current Aztec football team against former Aztec gridiron greats.
As a cornerback with the Aztecs from 1997-1999, he played under Coach Ted Tollner, who took the team to the Las Vegas Bowl when Abdul-Rahim was a junior.
Though his college football career remains a high point of Abdul-Rahim’s life, it is what he learned in San Diego’s diverse neighborhoods that resonates in his adult life.
SDSU alum Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, founder of Positive Choices
As a student, Abdul-Rahim participated in the community-based block (CBB) program within the Department of Counseling and School Psychology. The nearly-40-year-old program, physically based in the communities around SDSU, trains counselors to be multiculturally competent.
“The CBB opened my eyes to thinking outside the box,” recalled Abdul-Rahim. “I decided I wanted to create my own niche within youth development.”
After earning an undergraduate degree in social sciences and a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in counseling, Abdul-Rahim returned to his Washington, D.C. neighborhood. He formed the nonprofit Positive Choices Inc., while also working as a middle school guidance counselor and assistant principal.
Now in its ninth year, Positive Choices provides emotional and social support to economically disadvantaged urban youth. Year-round and summer programs emphasize decision-making skills, college and career preparation, fitness and athletics.
The nonprofit’s 8th annual free non-contact instructional football camp, held June 12, featured a host of collegiate and current and retired NFL players volunteering as mentors for more than 400 participating youth.
Abdul-Rahim said many young men he encounters want to play college football, but don’t understand the importance of academics in reaching their goals.
“The recruiting process has changed so much; you have to have good grades starting in 9th and 10th grades,” he said. “We try to help them get on top of the academics.”
In addition to operating Positive Choices, Abdul-Rahim is currently Athletic Director and head football coach for Friendship Public Charter Schools, the region’s largest non-profit public school management organization serving nearly 6,000 students from pre-school to 12th grade.
“There is joy in working with kids who remind me of a younger self,” he said. “They have talent, but if they don’t make the right decisions, they could sway into delinquency. I know I can have a big impact on the lives of those kids.”
As a cornerback with the Aztecs from 1997-1999, he played under Coach Ted Tollner, who took the team to the Las Vegas Bowl when Abdul-Rahim was a junior.
Though his college football career remains a high point of Abdul-Rahim’s life, it is what he learned in San Diego’s diverse neighborhoods that resonates in his adult life.
SDSU alum Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, founder of Positive Choices
As a student, Abdul-Rahim participated in the community-based block (CBB) program within the Department of Counseling and School Psychology. The nearly-40-year-old program, physically based in the communities around SDSU, trains counselors to be multiculturally competent.
“The CBB opened my eyes to thinking outside the box,” recalled Abdul-Rahim. “I decided I wanted to create my own niche within youth development.”
After earning an undergraduate degree in social sciences and a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in counseling, Abdul-Rahim returned to his Washington, D.C. neighborhood. He formed the nonprofit Positive Choices Inc., while also working as a middle school guidance counselor and assistant principal.
Now in its ninth year, Positive Choices provides emotional and social support to economically disadvantaged urban youth. Year-round and summer programs emphasize decision-making skills, college and career preparation, fitness and athletics.
The nonprofit’s 8th annual free non-contact instructional football camp, held June 12, featured a host of collegiate and current and retired NFL players volunteering as mentors for more than 400 participating youth.
Abdul-Rahim said many young men he encounters want to play college football, but don’t understand the importance of academics in reaching their goals.
“The recruiting process has changed so much; you have to have good grades starting in 9th and 10th grades,” he said. “We try to help them get on top of the academics.”
In addition to operating Positive Choices, Abdul-Rahim is currently Athletic Director and head football coach for Friendship Public Charter Schools, the region’s largest non-profit public school management organization serving nearly 6,000 students from pre-school to 12th grade.
“There is joy in working with kids who remind me of a younger self,” he said. “They have talent, but if they don’t make the right decisions, they could sway into delinquency. I know I can have a big impact on the lives of those kids.”
= = = Friendship Public Charter School is the District of Columbia’s largest community of public charter schools, serving nearly 4,000 students in grades pre-k to 12. Friendship succeeds in preparing a cross-section of children as scholars, workers and citizens on five school campuses. The mission of Friendship Public Charter School is to provide a world-class education that motivates students to achieve academic standards, enjoy learning and develop as ethical, literate, well-rounded and self-sufficient citizens that contribute actively to their communities. To learn more about Friendship Public Charter Schools go to:http://www.friendshipschools.org/home/content.asp?section=our%20schools
No comments:
Post a Comment