Purple Pride in the land of Orange

Posted by Karen Lykins - Wednesday, January 13 2010
klykins@tntech.edu
Office of Communications & Marketing

At a gym in South Knoxville where orange paint is plentiful, alumnus Kent Johnson boldly wears his purple heart on his sleeve as he galvanizes students around the Tennessee Tech University traditions he loves.
Johnson says all families have traditions, but neither his family nor his methods of motivating them to go to college are traditional.
As a mentor to about 80 children in afterschool programs at Cecil Webb Center, where he works for the City of Knoxville Parks and Recreation Department as center director , Johnson is creating what he hopes is a nest of Golden Eagles, future students who take on challenges, beat odds and adjust expectations for themselves.
“We give them a bond and a pipeline with the best university in state. It’s exciting,” said Johnson. “We take kids with no ties to a university and no expectations of going to college, except through sports, and give them a family.”
Fifth-grader Morgan Gonzales wants to study forensics in college, but is holding on to her backup plan of being a singer. She wants to attend Tennessee Tech. Why?
“Because one year Kent made up a hilarious Christmas song about TTU and we sang it,” she said, referring to “Santa was a Golden Eagle,” written by Johnson. “And I like the color purple. And you know, there are other schools out there other than just UT.”
Johnson, a Maryville native who says he drove an hour and 40 minutes to attend Tennessee Tech, studied English and history and received an interdisciplinary studies degree. The former high school wrestling coach, who often declares TTU is the “best school in the state,” says he admires his alma mater because of the opportunities it offers to students of all backgrounds.
“We have an eclectic group of children, but we do not have issues because we concentrate on the things we have in common,” Johnson said.
Johnson’s methods to instill purple pride include visits to campus, quizzes, contests, decorations and rewards. He’s got bulletin boards filled with Tech trivia. He’s given the children shirts with “Top 10” funny facts about TTU. And his grand prizes, given to students who play one sport, have high grade point averages and show exemplary behavior, are Golden Eagle football jerseys personalized on the back.
But his purpose is singular — to give each child a chance in a place they feel like they belong.



“I want them to feel like they are home when they visit campus,” said Johnson. “I’m the closest person many of these children have to a dad, and Tech is the part of my family I share with them.
“For example, I noticed a girl who has very little, and often no home as she travels between several homes, was wearing her TTU shirt to school every third day,” he said. “I asked her why and she said ‘it makes be feel good that I’m special enough to belong somewhere.’
Because Johnson was a former high-level competitive athlete and martial arts instructor, he has instant credibility with kids who have athletic ambitions past high school.

“When I stress the importance of academic excellences for athletes, I’m more believable to them than most others,” he said.

“We shoot for excellence here too,” Johnson said. “Everyone has to earn the right to be a Golden Eagle. Our honors club is the Golden Eagle Club, where we focus on academics, and the highest level of success is to go to college, where many will become first generation college students.”
In a recent trip to campus to watch football practice, about 60 children visited their home away from home.
Fourth-grader Destiny Best, who plans to study math, says “Golden Eagles rule!” when she talks about the mascot and the school.
“I’m on the front lines working with kids who have every disadvantage,” said Jonson. “Every Tech alumnus, every athlete, every cheerleader — we all carry our school with us and can influence our image and make an impression on this community.
“I point out TTU grads in our city government and tell the kids all good departments have Golden Eagles working in them,” Johnson chuckled.
Fifth-grader Austin Croxdale, who describes himself as a fast safety, loves TTU football and carries his TTU backpack to school. He knows All-America Jim Youngblood played for Tech, and he wants to come to Tech someday too.
“I forget what the college name is for it, but I want to be a chef,” he said. “I like to cook simple stuff, like pancakes. But I want to go to college first.”
Johnson says he’s had a lot of cooperation from TTU sports teams and administrators to bolster his efforts.
Johnson says he especially wants Tech athletes at to understand the influence they can have on kids years after they graduate.
“Especially kids without a strong support system at home,” Johnson said. “Kids will listen to athletes more than any other casual acquaintance. We can make the world a better place one kid at a time. Who knows the scope or range of the positive ripple effect we can create by helping to change a kid’s life for better.
“The mentality has changed, and the norm in our group is to go on to the 13th grade at our school, Tennessee Tech,” he said. “I’ve got ‘em!”
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