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Fathers of NBA All-Stars Visit the New Evans High


Students at Evans High School in Pine Hills are joining the festivities for this weekend's NBA All-Star Game. The fathers of some of the NBA All-Star players are stopping by Saturday to talk with students about their experiences, shoot some hoops, and take a look at the brand new school that's replaced what was just a few years ago a crumbling, outdated facility. The event is boosting morale for students and faculty, who are still excited about the new, cutting-edge Evans High that opened just last month.

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It’s not the way Evans High Athletics Director Soraya Takatos normally starts her day. “I received a phone call from Dwight Howard Senior,” she says.

The father of the Orlando Magic NBA All-Star said he wanted the new Evans High to host the annual "mini-camp" event put on by the players’ dads. It's a tradition that's held in every city that hosts the All-Star Game.

 “They chose Evans because of the Pine Hills community, and giving back to a community,” says Takatos. “They found out how much Evans and Pine Hills are hand-in-hand.”

The NBA fathers’ “mini-camp” will take place Saturday at Evans High’s state-of-the-art gymnasium, which is double the size of the old gym, with improvements like new flooring, more bleachers, brighter lighting, flat-screen televisions and wi-fi. Dads such as Dwight Howard Senior and Dwayne Wade Senior will hold an inspirational panel for Evans High athletes, their parents and other students. Then, the dads, and maybe, Takatos hints, some NBA players, will shoot some hoops with the kids and give them a little coaching. 

Takatos says she’s honored but not surprised that Evans High School was chosen to host the event, since the excitement about the new campus has created such a buzz. “We’ve actually had to turn away groups, so it’s been a really successful impact that these facilities are providing for not just our students but for the community. It’s been great.”

At the grand opening ceremony late last month, you could hear the excitement about the new school from the students themselves. Eric Ulysse is a football player for Evans and is one of the approximately 200 students eligible for Saturday’s camp. 

“Man, it’s beautiful,” he says. “It’s big, and huge, and it’s just gorgeous. Everything about it is brand new. Everything is free and open, and we got the better technology and stuff.” 

And what does Eric think students will get from the new Evans? “I think the new school will basically motivate us,” he says.

Evans High School Principal David Christensen agrees. “It just represents this investment that the community is making in them, and that inspires them,” says Christensen. “Now, they look at this and say, ‘Whoa, I matter, I’m important, I can achieve anything I want to.’ It is inspiring.” 

It isn’t just the faculty and athletes that are excited. Evans “Green Machine” Marching Band members Yold Delius and Arthur Mott say the new school facilities for arts and music have everyone talking. 

“The acoustics in the rooms are just wonderful. And it’s just really great,” says Yold.

“Yeah, we didn’t have a football field, we didn’t have lines to guide us, so we basically had to just remember our spots and then, when we got on the field, we had to match it up. It was really difficult,” adds Arthur. “At our old campus, we didn’t have any of this, and now, this truly is a place of high achievement.”

Arthur and Yold will also be participating in an event Evans is hosting in conjunction with the NBA All-Star Game. Some retired – and musically inclined – NBA players will perform with the Green Machine for the Evans High School student body Friday afternoon.

 

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