Beyoncé has people across the world pulling together their squads to give the best rendition of the Before I Let Go Challenge.
But, the icon inspired a group of students in Atlanta to assemble for a slightly different challenge. The students at a local charter school decided to take their squad all the way to the state championship.
The Charles Drew Charter School’s varsity golf team in Atlanta recently became the first all-Black squad to win the state golf title!
Black boys are flipping the script, how about that!
Who would have thought that Black boys at a charter school sitting in a community once known as the ’hood would be golf champions of the state of Georgia? They outscored the two-time defending state champions by more than 15 strokes.
I know you’re not surprised to hear that golf has struggled with diversity among its ranks for years. I would attribute this to the stereotypes of Black culture that create falsified notions that Black students, especially Black boys, wouldn’t want to be a part of golf.
Well, guess what? Maybe it’s possible that not all Black boys want to just be rappers and ballplayers.
They can do that and play golf too!
Although 80% of golfers are white, those numbers will show more diversity over the years thanks to organizations like Golf, My Future, My Game.
In Atlanta, three seniors on the golf team at Drew took part in an Atlanta youth golf program run by The First Tee® of East Lake. This organization, similar to Golf, My Future, My Game, is a network of programs committed to providing an affordable junior golf program to underrepresented youth and communities.
First Tee of East Lake offers group lessons to young people ages 7-18 in Atlanta and free equipment and scholarships to high-need students.
The Drew Charter School Varsity Boys Golf Team is moving from the state to the national competition. They are now heading to the National Association Golf Team Invitational in Orlando June 26th-28th.
Good luck, boys!
Jason has worked in education for over 15 years as a teacher, blogger and community advocate. He speaks and writes primarily about the need to improve education for Black boys, particularly increasing the number of Black male educators in schools. In addition to blogging here at EdLanta, Jason is also a featured writer at Education Post.
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