We are the champions

The Southside basketball team at the I.S. 8 Beacon Afterschool Program beat out the Project Hope team to win their league championship.
The Southside team is made up of kids from the community who attend various high schools throughout the borough. Coach Michael Kertley, from South Ozone Park who played semiprofessional basketball, runs a basketball clinic, which is the first stage players must go through to get on the team.
Following their victory, Councilmember Leroy Comrie visited the school to congratulate the team. Comrie, a strong believer in the value of sports for students, encourages and supports sports teams in the community. Comrie believes that important life skills such as discipline, teamwork, self-esteem, self control and responsibility are part of learning a sport.
The Southern Queens Park Association NY Beacon at I.S. 8 is an after-school program, community center offering tutoring to 200 kids. Timothy James, Program Director, said that tennis, track, basketball, dance, drama, music, piano, guitar, karate, computers, and more are also offered.
The program, open to the community and completely free, is sponsored by Southern Queens Park Association President William Nelson and Chairperson Dr. Dorothy Ogundu. They are starting to take applications for the summer program, which can accommodate up to 250 kids with first preference to those already enrolled in the winter program.
For more information call 718-276-4630, ext. 150.