Gimme 5: Washington Junior High's Howard Uses Basketball as Tool to Teach Students Right From Wrong

Washington Junior High School is lucky to have an influential individual like Pierre Howard on staff.

Howard, a Chicago Heights native, is part of the REACH program at the school. He also is the coach of the eighth-grade boys’ basketball team.

This summer, Howard teamed with seventh-grade coach Chad Nardi to host a basketball camp for boys in the district.

“It gives kids that don’t have a gym to play at the opportunity to improve their game, both as an individual and with a team,” Howard said.  

During the school year, Howard acts as a meditator and role model for the students.

“Most of these kids who get into trouble lack that male figure, and that is where I step in and try to diffuse situations that come up,” Howard said.

Howard feels he can relate to his students even more because he grew up in the area and went to the same schools that they are going to now.

“I know the type of things that go on around here,” he said. “I want to teach them to look the other way. I used basketball as my outlet and they could do the same thing.”

Howard loves what he does and hopes to continue to have an impact on his students for years to come.

“I want to give back to the kids,” he said. “I want to teach them what is right and wrong.”

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