We are proud of our most Special Honors for Role Models who continually display Qualities of Exemplary Leadership:
Mr. Rodger Murray
Lessons From "Each One Teach One"
2016 STARRS Basketball: Education, Sports & Entertainment Awards - International "Mentoring for Life " Honorary Award Winner
Mr. Rodger Murray
Born and raised in East Harlem, Rodger Murray Sr.has worked for the New York City Department of Education for the past 29 years, as a ( S.A.P. I. S.) Substance Abuse Prevention Intervention Specialist) CPP (Credentialed Prevention Professional). Mr. Murray is also a Shop Steward,an Executive Board Member DC 37 Local 372, AFSCME, AFL-CIO. He is an alumnus of the EACH ONE TEACH ONE Program, having coached, officiated, assistant director of Summer Youth Employment Program. Worked with the RUCKER PRO LEAGUE starting as a statistician, director of statistical staff and eventually as an official in the NBA PRO AM Program. He has been the clock operator and shot clock operator since 1982 for the New York Knicks.
Member of CBTU (Coalition of Black Trade Unionists). Member of SUBOA;IAABO Board #42; NYCGBOA officials
Mr. Odessa Turner
Lessons From "Each One Teach One"
2016 STARRS Basketball: Education, Sports & Entertainment Awards - International "Mentoring for Life " Honorary Award Winner
Mr. Odessa Turner
Mr. Odessa Turner is a former wide receiver in the National Football League for seven seasons for the New York Giants (with Coaches Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick) and the San Francisco 49ers (with Hall of Famer Jerry Rice). Mr. Turner played for the N.Y. Giants from 1987-1991, San Francisco 49's from 1992-1993. He is a New York Giants Super Bowl XXVChampion (1991) Whitney Houston performed the national Anthem. He played college football at Northwestern State University and was drafted in the fourth round of the 1987 NFL Draft.Turner also played for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League after his NFL career. Father of Oderick Turner formerly WR for the Arena Football League Pittsburgh Power
Mr. Darrell Reid
Lessons From "Each One Teach One"
2016 STARRS Basketball: Education, Sports & Entertainment Awards - Honorary International "Mentoring for Life " "Rebound" Award Winner
Mr. Darrell Reid
Darrell Reid is a former National Football League Player and the founder of the Footz Foundation. Mr. Reid played for the Indianapolis Colts from 2005-2008, Denver Broncos from 2009-2010. He is a Super Bowl XLI Champion (2006-2007). Darrell Reid is a natural born leader on and off the field. He feels that he was both privileged and blessed to have made it to the NFL. “I see it as a blessing and it is my responsibility and a duty of mine to reach back and help others because there were so many who reached back and helped me.” Darrell has spoken to thousands of youth across the country about the importance of not giving up, both in life and on themselves. Reid says, “Adversity is a part of life and we will all face it, probably many times, that is out of our control; how we respond to it is what we control.”
Mr. Thabiti Boone
2016 STARRS Basketball: Education, Sports & Entertainment Awards - International Fatherhood Initiative Award
Mr. Thabiti Boone
About Thabiti Boone:
Thabiti Boone is the White House Representative for President Obama Fatherhood Mentoring
Platform. He was appointed by the President to serve as his White House Champion for Fatherhood.
In this capacity, Boone promotes the President's platform on the important role Father's, Men play in the lives of our children, families and community as well the importance of Mentoring the next generation of our young people.
Boone is a Nationally recognized inspirational figure. He's a member of the NY Knicks organization, advisor to NY Knicks Asst GM Allan Houston.
Raised on the tough streets of Brooklyn, NY, Thabiti overcame some of the most challenging circumstances, being born to a 13 year-old mother, watching her suicide attempt at age 12 to beating the odds, of taking his daughter to college as a teenage father, balancing basketball, academics and
Fatherhood, including sacrificing his NBA Dream to successfully raise her.
As a former Basketball Star, played against some of the best NYC player's earning all conference, All Brooklyn, All City. He received a scholarship to play at the University of Florida. He later transferred to Westchester Community College, helping to lead the team to the National Junior College Final Four. His team achieved a school record 36-2.
In 2010, Boone and his teammates were inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame. Boone was also honored with a NY State Basketball Hall of Fame Day Proclamation.
Thabiti founded the Rising to the Occasion Program that focused on supporting inner city students through the use of sports, entertainment, academic, life skills and career enrichment. For the past 25 years Boone has served over 10k students.
He is the Author of Rising to the Occasion: Playing Sports, Playing Life, Winning the Game of Life.
He has been featured in
documentaries, TV specials, books, appeared in Essence, Ebony, JET, Source Hip Hop Magazine, NY Daily News, NY Post, BET, TVONE, MSNBC, CNN, appeared on Steve Harvey show, Tom Joyner morning show, Hot97, Power105, WBLS Open Line.
Honors include CNN World Hero for Championing Children, Verizon
Tamara Laine
Lessons From a "Humanitarian"
2016 STARRS Basketball: Education, Sports & Entertainment Awards - Outstanding Human Rights Initiative Through Journalism, Film and Television
Tamara Laine
Tamara Laine is a journalist and documentary filmmaker. She has spent the last several years interviewing political officials and citizens on human rights issues around the world. Currently, she is a reporter for FOX’s newest news show Chasing News, airing on Fox 5 in New York and New Jersey, as well as Fox 29 in Philadelphia. She has produced content for HBO, AOL, E! Entertainment, and MTV. Her film work has focused on human rights related issues, most extensively within Indigenous communities in North and South America on water rights, treaty rights, and biotechnology..
Desha L. Jackson Esq.
Lessons From "Each One Teach One"
2016 STARRS Basketball: Education, Sports & Entertainment Awards - Across Borders Community & Diversity Award " Honorary Award Winner
Ms. Desha L. Jackson Esq.
Ms. Desha L. Jackson Esq., named a “Rising Star” in the August 2006-2009 editions of the New Jersey Super Lawyers magazineand also listed in the Best Lawyers publication in 2009, is a community and legal dynamo! Desha L. Jackson is the Chief Executive Officer of DLJSEC and an attorney in the state of New Jersey, who has practiced law for over 15 years. She is also the Program Manager for her own non-profit DLJ Give to Live Community Foundation a project of United Charitable Programs, a registered 501 (c) 3 charity (hereinafter "Give to Live"). Give to Live's mission is to raise funds and awareness as well as to support charitable causes, events and needs of people in some of the following areas: sports,athletics,education, religion, poverty, homelessness, socio-econimically depressed areas, law enforcement, the arts, sick and disabled people, children, young adults, students, women and the elderly through fashion, sports and entertainment events. Recently Ms. Jackson accepted a position as Special Assistant to the Public Safety Director of the City Of Newark. She will advise on all legal matters, assist in operating internal affairs and implementing the consent degree.
Ms. Brittany Bonesteel M. ED.
President of HVEC, Brittany Bonesteel, M. Ed has worked at institutions across the north east, from private colleges to special needs facilities. Working with students of all ages & need levels, she uses her skills & experience to assist families in the arduous process of choosing the right fit for their sons & daughters.
Her areas of expertise range from understanding of the ins & outs of admission requirements to how individuals each have a varied learning style that needs to be tapped into before full potential can be reached.
Brittany is currently a teacher at Temple Hill Academy in Orange County, New York and a chair of the Ulster County Transition Council. Her Bachelor's degrees are in Mass Communication and History from Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire and she has a Certification in Nonprofit Management from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her certified Education Consulting credits are from the University of California, Irvine and she is currently completing a Master's of Science in Global Leadership from Duquesne University in Pennsylvania.
2016 STARRS Basketball: Education, Sports & Entertainment Awards - Excellence in International Community Service Award
Ms. Brittany Bonesteel M. ED.