Morant motivates students in the classroom

Story by Keenan Hall

Staff writer

khall16@murraystate.edu

Murray State sophomore standout Ja Morant has inspired local elementary students in the classroom with his jaw-dropping performances on the court.

Third graders from South Heights Elementary School in Henderson, Kentucky, got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend time with Murray State’s men’s basketball team during their media day. South Heights assistant principal Chris Powers has been following the Racers closely ever since his daughter, sophomore Riley Powers, became a member of the Murray State cheerleading team.

When Powers heard Morant’s story, he saw some similarities in the kids under his guidance. So, he and his coworkers began using the hashtag #worklikeJa around the school and on social media.

“Ja Morant came from humble beginnings and kind of got overlooked in his recruiting process,” Powers said. “Well, that goes along with some of the kids at South Heights. A lot of our kids come from some tough backgrounds and we needed a way to motivate them.”

Despite the obvious differences between third graders and an NBA draft candidate, the kids responded positively to the tactic from Powers.

“He is a positive influence for our kids, he has some fans of his play and fans of his work ethic as well,” Powers said. “He retweeted a young lady’s paper on Twitter, and when I went to show her she almost passed out on the floor.”

Powers wanted his students to understand not everyone can be like Morant, but having a strong work ethic, passion and drive can take them to places they never expected to be.

“We wanted to show them that they may not always have the easy route, but you don’t give up,” Powers said. “Kids started putting on their papers and it bloomed from there. They would even say it during a challenge that they thought would be difficult for them.”

Powers understands how enticing it is for young kids to idolize talented athletes. However, he also wanted the hashtag to serve as a teaching moment to his students.

“He is more than just a really good basketball player, he has worked to get to where he is,” Powers said. “I wanted my kids to take that lesson to heart more than anything. Kids need that kind of motivation.”

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