South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Students learn life lessons while deep sea drift fishing
The first American Academy Socially-Distanced Youth Fishing Tournament made an impact for several at-risk youths as they had the opportunity to learn life lessons from mentors during the event in Lantana on Jan. 30.
The students ages 7 to 14 came together for breakfast before participating in a day of fishing on the ocean after departing from Bar Jack Fishing Deep Sea Drift Fishing Charters. They received fishing rods and prizes, which included water bottles, hats, T-shirts and masks.
Mark Roseme, who serves as the athletic director at Imagine Chancellor Charter School in Boynton Beach, is also the founder of American Academy. The Lake Worth-based nonprofit organization serves the youth and community with daycare, an after-school program, summer camp, walkathons and sports programs within Palm Beach County schools. He partners with co-founder Silka Cuba with outreach efforts for donations, sponsorships and grants.
The students were invited to participate in the event based on their academic achievements and demonstration of character.
“We selected students based on their work ethic in the classroom, how they apply themselves and how they treat each other,” Roseme said. “We want to give the students exposure to new opportunities. We have kids that have never been on a boat before so it was a great activity and totally different from what they have ever done. We want them to have a better outlook and see a smile on their face.”
The American Academy assists children with academic needs and also provides instruction to live healthy with an emphasis on physical, mental and social growth.
“The at-risk students are just not underprivileged, but others do not have any supervision and a lack of guidance and knowledge of life experiences,” Roseme said. “The things they do not know affects them and their future.”
Roseme noted the importance for at-risk students to have mentors from their community. He was able to develop a new path and purpose after receiving assistance from former American Heritage-Plantation basketball coach Don Ullmann.
“Don took me in and was a father figure and mentor for me,” he said. “He gave me the knowledge to help me grow. I told him that I would build toward helping others the way he helped me. I got into education and it’s been rewarding. It’s been great to help children and work on projects to give back to the community.”
Roseme also has worked on additional community initiatives, including an annual toy drive at Imagine Charter School in North Lauderdale. He also is making plans toward the opening of a new charter school in Palm Beach County.
The event was hosted by Rashad Anton Evans, a retired mixed martial artist and 2019 UFC Hall of Fame Inductee. The Boca Raton resident also was previously the heavyweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 2 and the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
Evans is an ambassador for Always Progress, a foundation that was established to provide assistance by matching at-risk youth with mentors who have endured similar circumstances and overcome great obstacles. Evans has worked with Always Progress founder Anthony Passero on renovation projects at high school gyms in at-risk communities in Miami-Dade County.
“It means a lot because I resonate strongly with these kids,” Evans said. “I was at-risk and was able to turn it around and find a good path and direction. We have kids that are so broken inside and their home situation may not be ideal and they have suffered the consequences. We really want to make an impact by giving back in the community and to pay attention to these kids so they can have a better future.”
Evans was able to overcome struggles during his childhood through the assistance of influential mentors while growing up in Niagara Falls, New York. He received direction from karate instructor Karl Brusino, who helped him with discipline, responsibility and accountability.
He also is appreciative and gives credit to his success as a professional from his time spent with high school wrestling coach Bill Dixon, where he learned the foundation and work ethic that helped shape him. Evans learned to never quit by finishing what he started and had the vision to train to reach higher achievements.
He puts on mixed martial arts camps and trains high school athletes to help them reach the next level.
“It’s a transitional period for these kids to adulthood and we want them to get a true understanding and be mentally ready to grow into the person that they can be,” Evans said. “It’s important to recognize how to be an upstanding person with good character and morals. We want them to have the discipline and mindset to believe in themselves. We want the kids to learn from these experiences.”