Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

LOCAL THURSDAY, AUGUST 9 -16, 2018 • Page 6 These cars were part of a display event to motivate students. COMMUNITY Continued From Page 1A DeKalb Kids Project, HP Pack Car Club and Shadow Rock Elementary hosted a car display event on the first day of school, Aug. 6. CLUB Continued From Page 1A Cori Bostic, middle, with her parents Cory, left, and Lenise. He parents also marched with FAMU band in the 1990s. Hill said the members of car club are all different, just like the cars they drive. “It’s a beautiful thing. We have about 30 members from various backgrounds and various parts of the country who found a bond through cars,” Hill said. “Everyone is successful in their own and this is our opportunity to be the LeBron [James] in our community.” Hill said members of the car club are professionals in a range of careers. “We noticed kids go crazy over cars and our vision was to give kids bookbags and give them an opportunity to speak with us and ask us questions,” Hill said. “We want them to know that if you see a nice house or see a nice car you don’t have to be a rapper or athlete to acquire it.” During the car display, teachers also took students on a tour around the cars to teach the students the value of hard work. Shadow Rock Elementary Principal Sylvia Sanders said she wants to continue to strengthen the bond between community members and school officials. “This is an awesome opportunity to bridge the gap between community and school. This year, one of our focuses is that we want to rebrand our school,” Sanders said. “This event helps us to energize our students and begin the conversation of all the possibilities if they stay focused.” Sean Tartt, a Georgia native who grew up in DeKalb County, is currently the Region III Superintendent for DeKalb County School District. Tartt attended the car display event and said it was inspiring. “It speaks volumes to see men doing great things and showing kids what they could possibly achieve,” Tartt said. “White collar and blue collar men are here showing the importance of reading, writing, math and social skills. This is a positive event all around. A lot of us don’t have these cars, but it’s always good to dream and have a goal.” DeKalb that she wanted to be a drum major at FAMU. “She asked her papi [Cory Bostic] [if] she [could] be [a] drum major, and papi was like, ‘Sure, you can do whatever you want to do,’ as he’s told all of our daughters,” Bostic said. “We have seven girls and we put no limits on them. [They] can do anything [they] want.” Southwest DeKalb band director James Seda, who is also an alum of FAMU and was in the band with Bostic’s parents, said he was proud to see his former student make history. “I remember when Cori was born and to see her grow into the fine young lady she became in high school and in college, I’m glad I had a part in that as being someone who trained her musically,” Seda said. “It was an incredible community effort.” Seda also credits Southwest DeKalb girls’ basketball coach Kathy Walton for helping her get to this point. Bostic was the starting center for the 2016 state championship team at Southwest DeKalb. “We saw her gain her confidence at Southwest DeKalb High School. A big part of the confidence Cori gained came when she was on the basketball team,” Seda said. “From not really knowing anything about the sport to winning the state championship and being the starting center, that’s really when we started to see the confidence come out of Cori that she really didn’t have before. We owe a lot of that to coach Walton.” Bostic played basketball for one year at FAMU before leaving the team to focus on band full time. Her mother said it was difficult for Bostic to participate in band and play basketball. “It was a juggling act in high school, so when she got to FAMU she tried [both] her freshman year,” she said. “She played basketball and did band, but it was too much. The basketball coach told her she wanted [Cori] full time and Cori was like I can’t do it, I love band. “She chose band and stayed with the band because she knew her goals, she knew what she wanted to be, and she fell in love with it,” Lenise Bostic added. “She has always been in love with band, but at FAMU [band] just captured her heart like it did mine when I was there, and her papi’s when he was there.” This is the second time Cori Bostic tried out for drum major at FAMU. Last year she wasn’t selected but was given feedback on what she needed to do to improve her chances, including improving her upper body strength. “[Cori] was like, ‘I’m a basketball player. I know how to work out, so I’ll just work out,”’ her mom said. “When she came home that summer she was sad for a week, and then we went right up the street to the gym and she started working out, lifting weights and she got stronger and stronger. She went back out and tried out again.” Ivan Wilborn, who was head drum major at FAMU from 1983-84, said Cori Bostic’s athleticism is what gave her the advantage over other women who auditioned for a drum major spot in the past. “The drum major position is a hard position. It’s hard on the upper body,” Wilborn said. “The difference between Cori and the [other women who tried out] is she’s [6-foot-1] and that helps her. She’s athletic. She has the arm strength to deal with the baton. “The baton is really massive and big and there are things that you have to do with it,” Wilborn added. “Of course, our upper body strength is a little different than the women, but I think she possesses that because of her athletic prowess.” Although Cori Bostic has received congratulations and support from current and former band members, Wilborn said there are some who are against the decision. “Some of us old-schoolers are fighting it, but I think if she’s worthy then she deserves the chance,” he said. “She’s proven that she’s worthy, so we have to give her the chance. She has to live up to it. She’s going to do it, she’s going to be an excellent performer. We just have to get on the bandwagon and support her and make sure that we’re together in this and [support her].” Lenise Bostic said she knows there are those who doubt her daughter’s abilities to be drum major, but knows she has a good support system at FAMU and at home. “She has a good nucleus of people who keep her grounded and she has her siblings who keep her grounded. She just has a lot of people who support her,” Lenise Bostic said. “A lot of former drum majors are helping her and preparing her for what’s about to come. Her drum major squad [is] working really hard together and working really well together. She’s leaning on her squad.”