Primary School Dean Wants to Know: ARE YOU READY?!?!
Primary School students knew they were going to the gymnasium – but they didn’t know why.
The answer: Dean Eric Bullock had a surprise planned.
When Dean Bullock asked “ARE YOU READY?” students cheered, clapped and stomped their feet. But that wasn’t quite good enough. He asked again – and when students turned up the volume, he introduced two basketball stars at center court.
“I like to bring in surprises,” Dean Bullock said. “Our scholars work so hard every day. This was an opportunity to bring some excitement to the school and witness greatness”
Reginald James, of Trenton, now attends Albany State University, a nationally ranked HBCU in Georgia. See video
Tyrone O’Garro grew up in Newark, played for NCAA Conference Champion Fairleigh Dickenson and turned pro in Argentina. He holds a master’s degree and now works at FA as a manager helping faculty analyze data to better meet individual student needs. Watch video
In the past, Dean Bullock surprises have included firefighters providing tours of a firetruck, as well as performances. But this event was more than just entertaining.
“It was important for me to expose our students to hard work and dedication,” Dean Bullock said. James and O’Garro “have perfected the craft by practicing and dedicating themselves and I wanted to show our students that hard-working dedication will eventually pay off.”
Both players showed off some mad skills. And with each stylized dunk and trick shot – even leaping over incoming Primary School Co-Principal Brittany Greco – student cheers got louder!
Mr. O’Garro was happy to accept the invitation. Having faced challenges growing up, he wants to be a mentor for FA students. Sharing his basketball skills seemed like a good first step.
“I look at basketball like a spaceship that has taken me places I never thought I’d go – from Newark, to Teaneck…to Argentina and around the world,” he said. “I want kids to know they can go places too.”
