Akeim Young Principal Giunta MS Talks MLB Rays, VIP Event & Parents AlanAlfordSportsTalkShow.com

Again, Akeem Young, just happy to be here. We, Mr. Mitchell, first of all, my assistant principal, I wanna give a shout out to Mr. Mitchell. He's our assistant principal of administration. Did a phenomenal job of organizing this parent initiative community event. Dr. Lynch is my assistant principal of curriculum, but together they just worked tirelessly getting all the vendors together, getting all the people. I was just supporting them, so I take no credit for this. My team, I had the best team in Hillsborough County, the best teachers, and I also feel like we have the best students. Continually to progress Juneteenth Middle School in the right way, but I'm just so proud to be the principal of Juneteenth Middle School and embrace this community the way they've embraced us. Yeah, that's fantastic. You got such a great team to build this together, this VIP initiative. Talk about, it's not easy to have a great team. Talk about how blessed you are to have such a great team. Well, going on year four, it took some time. I came in, you know, whenever there's change for a principal, things are difficult. You know, change is not easy. However, we were able to make things happen and slowly progress. And the people who wanted to be here are here. I feel like now going on year four, we have a knit, a family-created environment where people, I mean, they come to work because, you know, people have to work, but I think now we've created an environment where people enjoy coming to work. People enjoy the different events. Like, we don't have to ask anybody to come after hours or things. People volunteer. We've created a network where we truly care about each other. It's a family-oriented network. We put family first. And I consider everybody, I start off all my emails as due to family. Just having that sense of family and that sense of belonging. And it's genuine. People actually care about each other. They want to see the school going in the right direction. And the students, the parents as well, they took that on as well. I feel like the community has embraced us. They care and everybody's on board with our mission. Every student can learn. Every student has a chance to be successful. And it's our job to partner with the community and the teachers and all stakeholders to help each student to reach their full potential. We truly believe that. And it's been working for us thus far. Yeah, Mr. Young. And talk about your passion to go ahead and have such a great team and being in such a great leadership position that you can help out the students, can help out the families and the community. It's first. I mean, first of all, I'm blessed. I have to thank God he's put me in a position to be a leader. And I take it very seriously. I'm a product of the public school system. I went to Cajun, Lomax Elementary, Cajun Middle School, like I said, Suffolk Springs, Cajun Middle School, Greco, Tampa Bay Tech. So I am a product of it. I know how important it is. I know how it feels to be talked to or talked at, but I also know how it feels to be for have teachers that genuinely care about you and want you to be successful. So my passion is to make sure every student is heard, make sure all teachers are heard and supported, and everybody deserves a chance to be successful. And we've created an environment, you know, that it's your choice. Either you're going to choose to be successful or whatever, but it won't be the detriment that the school didn't do what they were supposed to do or we're not providing what you need. It's there to take. And most of I want to say, I tell everybody, 97% of our students are great kids. They do what they're supposed to do. They come to school, they make mistakes. We talk to their parents, we work together, but they're genuine. They saw it, they get right back on the right track. Every school has their 3%. We love on them too, but we will not sacrifice the learning environment for anyone. And that has, I believe, not only created my passion to continue, but it sparks a passion throughout all. And they know we're all in their corner and we're just here to help each other be successful. And how could parents and the community help you be more successful? And maybe if it's not eliminated the 3%, but maybe get it down to 2%. So just being involved. I just simply being involved. Students come home. A lot of things now is digital. So checking your student's report card, checking your student's grades. Grades are updated bi-weekly. Taking that time to reach out to the school. If you feel like something's not going around, partner with us, come in. You having events like this, coming in and supporting the kids. Not when we just having events, but also when it's time for parent teacher conference night. When it's time to have those difficult conversations. So being visible, being present, but I think our community as a whole has put education to the forefront. We all believe education is important, not just the students, but this community in general. And I feel like they've embraced us. They partnered with us and we're hitting the right track. There's a few we still need to work on, but to answer your question, just being involved, checking your student's backpack, having those conversations. How did your day go? But not just asking how did your day go, did they help anyone today? What did you learn new today? Taking it to that next level, because kids will be kids, but at the same time, parents, the village, it matters. What they're growing around, so we have to do our part to make sure we help them reach that potential. I can tell you're really passionate about helping kids out and making sure they're successful. And where does that come from? Comes from my parents, I guess. My parents put a big ownership on big deal on education. I got lucky, I have two fathers. I tell everybody, some people don't have a father figure in their life. I was blessed to have two. I have my stepfather who I love, I call him dad. I have my biological father who lives in Alabama, who took a great part of my life, but I got lucky, man. And everybody spoke education, even though they didn't get a chance to go to college, they made sure that I went. But one of the main things they taught me was to simply be nice to people, man. There's nothing that can substitute to somebody just being kind and thoughtful. And you'll have some people be mean or whatever, but if you're a kind person and you're nice to people, those things will take those. Other people will fight your battles for you. And you're gonna have some people that'll be mean or whatever, but if you're kind and nice, you can go and get help from anybody. So that's one of the things, just being polite, giving people the benefit of the doubt. You don't have to earn my respect. You get respect automatically because everybody deserves it. So I think getting out of that place where we have to earn this, no, no, you don't. Everybody deserves somebody to be nice to. And putting that positive energy, for the most part, you put that positive energy out there, 99% of the time you'll get that energy right back. Wow, it just comes down to just being kind to others and being positive. Yes, sir. Yes, sir, simple as that. Being kind to others, being positive, and also just working hard. I pride myself on putting the work in. I tell my staff, there's nothing I won't do for them. There's nothing I won't do. I cover classes. I pick up trash when it's needed to. I cover the cafeteria. There's no job beneath me. My staff sees that. I can ask, go to anybody in the building and get help. I don't mind understanding that. I might not have the answer. I might not know, but I do have experts in every category here. I can go get help. Everything that we need is right here in this building at Juteson Middle School. I don't need to have all the answers, but I can depend on my staff. And by me working hard and showing that love and simply being fair, I can go to anybody in this building and get help from it. Together, we can just continue to move this school in the right direction. Yeah, it's an awesome school. And Cedric, you know, he's one of the people that helped facilitate this initiative. Talk about Cedric and his contribution. Well, I take the credit for hiring Mr. Mitchell. I brought him on here, but Mr. Mitchell is phenomenal. I think we work so well together because sometimes I can be a little tough and be a little direct, especially when it comes to accountability, but Mr. Mitchell is smooth as they come. Even kill. He's always never too high, never too low. Always for kids, simply for kids, for his community. He's a family man, but it just shows that his work ethic is second to none. But, and then the respect is there. So Mr. Mitchell is a blessing. I knew him, we were behavior specialists together back in the day. So I knew him back then, but I always knew he had a strong work ethic and just was a positive person. It's something about just simply being positive and giving people the benefit of the doubt. You can pretty much get what you need, you know what I'm saying, out of people that work for you, help. And as you can see, all the volunteers showed up for him. Nobody's being paid. Everybody's doing this out of the goodness of their heart to help support the community and all of us because of Mr. Mitchell. And the raffle that you hear in the background is because of donations and people helping out in the community. Yes, and we're thankful for our sponsors. Bikes on Bikes donates three bikes a month for, so we give away three bicycles each month. So, and they're not cheap bicycles. These are Swin top of the line bicycles. So we are thankful for our sponsors, all of the vendors who showed up. Super excited. We have an author here at Jupiter Middle School, King Davis. He's here signing, getting his book signed. Mr. Hall, our business technology teacher, he's an author here. He has his book here, but all, it's the community, just everybody. I'm just so proud to be a part of this thing and just to see our school in a positive light. Yes, and you know that's a small world. I don't get a chance to interview too many principals, but one principal that we both know is Mr. Otis Kitchen. Talk about him and his impact to you. Otis Kitchen, man. One of my mentors, Otis is a great guy, great principal, former athlete. What I would say is one of the reasons, I was thinking about just being a teacher, riding out or I'm sorry, being an assistant principal. Because you know, you get comfortable and your job is like, no, he taught, he created him. And I want to say Ernest Woods. They created the Black Male Leadership Group. So encouraging black males to get into leadership. Hillsborough County, there's a couple of things you have to do in order to be a principal. They could be a little bit tedious, but it definitely helped me. I'm glad I was able to go through some of those things that Hillsborough County had in place. It definitely helped me be a principal. But sometimes you get a little discouraged and you don't feel like, man, I'm good where I'm at. But he was definitely one of those ones who encouraged me that I could be a principal, that I could do it, that I was doing some of the work already, I might as well get paid for it. And with some of his leadership and just staying on top of me, just making sure we're doing the right thing and then holding each other accountable. Like you say, sometimes you have to have difficult conversations with your friends and like, hey, you're out of pocket, what do you need to do to change? Or this is what I need you to do for it. And I appreciate him because it's not always cut and dry. It's not always, hey, buddy, buddy. Sometimes we have those conversations. So I really appreciate him always giving it to me straight and just encouraged me and then setting the path because he did it, but not just keeping all that knowledge for himself, sharing some of the things that he did, what works well with him. And so a lot of his teachings, a lot of things that he's advised me on, I've incorporated in my own practice and it's been successful. So big shout out to Otis Kitchen. Big shout out to Otis Kitchen. Big shout out to Otis, man. Much love, brother. Appreciate you, Otis. Thank you so much. Yes, and you're wearing a Tampa Bay Rays shirt. Yes, sir. What are your thoughts about the Rays maybe go ahead and move it to Hillsborough Community College and make it at their home? You know what? I'm just hoping the Rays spend some money and we want to make that step because we're always good. I feel like the Rays, they do a good job of managing with less. And when we get far, we get here. So I'm hoping we make the move. I was hoping they come to Ybor City, to be honest. I was hoping they moved to Ybor City and I would love to see them down in that area and just make that area come up to that next level. I thought that would have been awesome, but I'm hoping to get them to stay. I hope they keep a dome. I like the dome, the dome style to be comfortable, but I'm excited about the Rays. I'm a Bucs fan. I love the Rays. I love Tampa Bay sports, but if they can just spend a little bit more money, get one of those big names or get somebody, you know what I'm saying, to help take us over the top because I want a World Series here at Tampa Bay. Yeah, they got close. Do you think we can actually get a World Series out of Tampa Bay Rays one day? I think we can. I think we can, but we're going to have to come out of the pocket a little bit more, but I think we can. We stopped penny-pinching a little bit and this and that. Go ahead and make a splash. I don't know if the owners want to do that or not, but it takes money to make money, so you're going to have to do something, but I think we can. I think one day we will, but they're going to have to do something. And if it ends up being official at the Hillsborough Community College, I know your first choice is Ybor, would you still support that? Oh, of course. Of course. I'm Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers, the Rays, anything, the Rowdies, anything Tampa Bay, we will definitely be there, but I heard they got a nice space out there. I think it'll be cool. I think it will be a good idea. You got the Bucs Stadium there. You got the Steinbrenner Field out there as well. I think that when that comes down, I'm not sure if that'll come down or whatever, but I think it'll be cool to have that sports complex out there in that area to make it. I'll definitely be there to support it, whether they're at Ybor, whether they're here, as long as they're in Tampa, I'll support. And finally for you, is there any future goals you have professionally that you want to hope to achieve? Well, put me on the spot. Well, my dream job is ESPN to be an announcer like Charles Barkley and those guys over there. I mean, being a former basketball player, I mean, I played at Alabama State University, got a chance to play overseas at the Czech Republic and Prague for a little while. The speak sports, basketball, football, baseball, especially a little bit of hockey, but the speak sports would be my dream. But professionally right now, I'm working towards being a regional superintendent or a superintendent one day in my career as far as an education. But I am proud to be the principal right now. I'm not even thinking I'm so comfortable. I am so blessed. I've worked hard to get out of school where we are right now. And I feel like we got so much more work to do and we're right there. Yeah, we're like seven points away from that B. So our next goal is to be that B. And then after we get that B, then we'll take it on to the A. Then once we get the A, then we'll talk about next steps. But the job is not done yet. That's awesome. And I gotta get your thoughts on that. I gotta ask Bruce, who's the NBA GOAT in your opinion? Easily, I don't have to think about this. I don't have statistics. I don't have any of those things nature, but I can tell you I was born in 1981. So we grew up on Mike. So Mike is my guy. And then I'm a little biased because Kobe Bryant is my favorite player of all time. So I got Mike, I got Kobe, then I got Bryant. But again, I'm biased because Kobe, that's the man. That was my guy of all time. So I got Mike, Kobe, then Bryant. And then you figure out the rest. That's an awesome list. Rest in peace to Kobe Bryant. But thank you so much for spending some time on the Island Outfitters Sportsbook Show doing this interview. And don't get a chance to sit down with principals too often. Not for when it's a good thing like this, community event. Usually if you call it to the principal's office, it's not a good thing back in the day. Exactly, exactly. Definitely want to stay out of the principal's office, but it's good to fellowship and see. So again, I just want to say thank you for taking the time to meet with me. And my message is simple, man. Be positive, be kind, say hello. Nobody has to earn your respect. I talk to my young men and my young women with so much more than athletes, with so much more than rappers and singers. And we got doctors, we got lawyers. We can do so much. Education is free. Let's embrace it. Let's do what we need to do. The system is set up for you to be successful. It's the people who are lazy that don't do anything that don't make it. So if you work, if you're polite, you work hard and you put forth maximum effort, you can make it. But it starts with just simply being kind and putting forth maximum effort. The sky's the limit. Exactly, and then don't be defensive. Some parents get defensive when you maybe have to give them critical advice. Hey, accountability is love. Love sometimes comes, you know, people think it's all good job and praise, but also love is accountable. Sometimes love hurts. Holding a person accountable is a form of love to me because it's how you receive it. And all feedback, I welcome it. You know, I tell my staff, I'm not perfect. You see me, I'm not, pull me to the side, have a conversation with me. We can talk about it. Delivery is important, but you're right. Sometimes we have those conversations. You might not like it, but we have everybody. I know I have everybody's best interests. My staff as well. We won't tell you the right thing. It's extra work when you have to call a parent. You see what I'm saying? That's what I'll be trying to make people understand. Like if I have students, we've never had to call their parents. And it only, we want to call them for a good thing. Like we try to make, go out of the way and make positive phone calls and different things of that nature. But yes, some students, they'll go through, they won't have any, they'll only speak to me, good morning, how you doing or whatever, whatever. But if a parent is, if a principal is reaching out to you or if a teacher is reaching out to you, know, just know that they are going out of their way to try to help. They're not just pushing it to the side and letting the kids self-destruct. They're asking for support. And so the answer, go back to your first question. We need those parents to take those phone calls. We need those parents to answer those emails. We need those parents to come to parent conference night so we can continue to be this and help these students reach their full potential and maximize their gifts. That's awesome. Yep, Hakim Young, I appreciate you. Thank you so much. God bless you.