Former FSU All-American Rolle partners with DCF to mentor foster kids

Reginald Alceus
Outlook Staff Writer

The Florida National Guard’s facility at Camp Blanding in Starke, Fla. is the stage where this year’s second Myron Rolle Wellness & Leadership Academy will take place. There, children from Florida’s Foster Care system will have the opportunity to develop leadership skills and test their merit under the guidance of mentors from some of professional sports’ most known teams. Beginning July 6 until the 10th, more than 100 children ages 12 to 15 will engage in age appropriate physical fitness and leadership activities. Taking place in a camp-like setting, the scheduled activities are designed to help its participants build confident, healthy lifestyles.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for foster children to learn personal development and leadership skills that so many other youths get to experience,” Rolle said in a press release. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they will never forget.” The football camp is the joint effort of the Myron L. Rolle Foundation, the Florida Department of Children and Families, the Florida National Guard and the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches. Nearly 100 children attended the first-ever leadership academy for Florida’s foster children last year. The camp hopes to surpass that number this year.

“Football players are role models but Myron is a step above that,” said DCF Secretary George Sheldon. “He’s established a foundation; he’s building a health clinic in his parents’ home town; he did a program for the Seminole Indians on childhood obesity and diabetes, and it was his idea to do this camp. He also recognizes that life has given him a lot, and he is really about giving something back.”

Rolle himself is a former Florida State University football All-American. He received a 2009 Rhodes Scholarship and was recently selected in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. Eventually, he intends to pursue an occupation in neurosurgery.

Last Monday, Sheldon met with Tallahassee native Austin Toro, who will be attending the camp in July. There, they discussed the various opportunities present in the camp and how the foster care environment impacted his life. Toro, 14, a soon to be sophomore at Godby High School, noted that Rolle was a “hometown hero” to many Tallahassee youths.

“We’re excited for our foster kid, Austin Toro, who is going to be going to the Myron Rolle camp,” said Pat Smith, press secretary for the DCF. “He is going to learn leadership skills from the best (including) Myron Rolle who I think is one of the greatest role models for our young people today, especially for young African- American boys and girls. He’s also going to have the chance to build relationships while he’s there and meet with other children that are in foster care.”

Smith said several celebrities are committed to helping support the camp, such as Olympic Gold Medalist and President of the Women’s Sports Foundation Dominique Dawes. Dawes is scheduled to speak to children about overcoming challenges early in life, a lesson Smith and the DCF said is very important. “There’s a peer element to this that we should expect,” Watkins said. “There’s team building, and children get through the activities and exercises as a group. I think there’s been a lot of good relationships built peer to peer as well as with the youths and mentors.”

Other celebrities include Tennessee Titans players Myron Rolle and Steve Phahler, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ cheerleaders. Dr. Gaby Cora of the Executive Health & Wealth Institute also will appear to speak at the camp. “I think the sooner we can teach our young people that it’s very important for them to learn leadership roles early on in life, hey will go far in their careers using those abilities and skills,” Smith said. “I also think it’s important for them to be physically, mentally and spiritually fit so they can be the best that they can be. That’s why this camp is such a great opportunity for them.” Smith, Sheldon and others agreed that children who are placed in the foster care system often face difficulties. Toro stated that often, kids either grow and mature quickly or remain immature for their ages.

“Regrettably, foster care is needed far too often and there are many parents who, whether it’s because of drugs or alcohol or mental illness don’t have the capabilities of being good parents, and what I think I here from children like Austin more and more is I want to be normal. I want to do normal things, and that’s what this camp is about,” Sheldon said. “I met some young people last week and asked them if they were in my position, what would they do and one of them said stop calling us foster kids, we’re just kids.”

When posed the same question, Sheldon said Austin replied that more hands-on activities would be preferred and the mentors should interact with him and other foster kids as friends and not caseworkers. Sheldon admitted caseworkers engage in a chosen profession and often face difficult challenges for little compensation. Despite that, he advises caseworkers to treat the foster children as they would their own.

Reginald Alceus can be reached at realceus@capitaloutlook.com