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June 16, 2005

Football, film legend finds success working with teens

Yawu Miller

By his retirement in 1965, Jim Brown had already set records as a running back for the Cleveland Browns, securing a place in the Prof Football Hall of Fame.

Since then, he has led an impressive career in Hollywood, with roles in blockbuster films as diverse as “The Dirty Dozen” and “Any Given Sunday.”

But it’s his work with teenagers, gang-bangers and police officers Brown says, that keeps him going.

“I’m still relevant,” he told a group of teenagers at English High School Monday. “When you’re relevant, it means you’re putting something back into your society.”

Brown spoke to students who had completed his Amer-I-Can Program, a motivational seminar designed to help people reach their full potential. After mediating a conflict between rival Los Angeles gang members in 1993, Brown created a foundation to bring the program to high schools across the country.

“The objective of the program is to cause one to examine their past conditioned behavior patterns and to systematically apply proven methods to overcome behavior that negatively influenced their lives,” reads an explanation on the foundation’s web site.

West Roxbury High School Headmaster Dan Pellegrini said the program had a noticeable effect on students who participated.

“With our kids we saw marked improvement with their attendance and we saw a large improvement with their GPAs,” he said.

Attendance for participating students increased by 60 percent, according to Pellegrini and GPAs were up by 50 percent.

“We had amazing results for an 18 month program,” he said.

Brown told the Banner his program is aimed at instilling values and building self esteem.

“Most kids, if you care about them and give them respect, they’ll do the same for you,” he said after the program as several parents thanked him for his work.

“People approach kids from an authority-first standpoint and assume kids don’t know anything. They’re intelligent. They feel you. They want you to listen to them.”

In his speech to the graduates, Brown told the students his accomplishments on the football field were nothing compared to academic success.

“I was a gladiator,” he said. “I was famous and I made a lot of money. But upstairs, I had a boss. He wasn’t big or strong. You can play ball all you want, but somewhere in the stands there is a man who put the team together. He is the boss, the jefe.”

After his address, students were given certificates for completing the Amer-I-Can program and a firm handshake from Brown. Before departing, Brown offered English High footballer Lamar Hartgrove parting advice.

Drawing Hartgrove close, the 69-year-old Brown repelled him with a gentle, but firm movement of his arm.

“It’s all in the forearm,” he told the teen.

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