L.E.A.D. took it to L.A. and brought it back to the A

Guest Blogger L.E.A.D. Ambassador D'Anthony Morrow, Benjamin E. Mays High School, Atlanta Public Schools

Describe the trip destination.

Ambassadors Ryan Martin, Carlos Twine, Emmanuel Wilson, Coach Neiko, Mr. David Seeney, Coach CJ and I traveled to Los Angeles, California. The weather was nice but it got a little windy. The buildings downtown looked the same as Atlanta.

What was the purpose of the trip?

The purpose of this trip is to do a documentary on an app we use called Dartfish Express.

Why were you chosen to attend this trip?

I was chosen because I am trustworthy and respectful. I abide by all our L.E.A.D. core values and I take in exposure opportunities and use them in my daily life. I was also chosen to help other boys in Atlanta because I can take the opportunity and the exposure that I'm getting and teach it to other boys so they can have the opportunities.

What did you discover about yourself while on this trip?

I discovered that I can work through adversity and that I can do new things if I try and work on it. The adversity I went through was hitting left handed for the first time and and filming in the cold weather. I overcame adversity by working on my swing from the left side and staying focused while cold to finish filming.

Describe the people that you interacted with while on the trip?

The people that I interacted with were excited to work with us. They were talented and everyone had a specific job to do on the set and they made sure that it got done. Also when we were cold they sacrificed their heat and coats to make sure we were warm all the time.

What surprised you the most while on the trip?

What surprised me the most was the multiple time times we had to film certain shots because the producer had to get that one perfect shot. I was also surprised by all the specialized cameras and the materials they used to film certain shots.

What was your most memorable moment on the trip?

My most memorable moment of the trip was me hitting left handed for the first time and I hit the ball good. It looked good on the t.v. after they recorded it.

Who was the most memorable person from the trip?

Ms. Julie our on set tutor was the most memorable person on the trip. I say this because we were suppose to be in school and she comes out of her way and brings books for us to read. She was nice, calm, friendly and a wonderful teacher.

Ms. Julie along with Ambassador Emanuel Wilson and Coach Neiko Johnson

What did you learn from the trip that you can use to help L.E.A.D. carry out its mission to empower an at risk generation to lead and transform their city?

I learned that you have to work through adversity at times. On Tuesday, everyone on the set was cold because of the weather in the desert but we stayed strong and focused. We finished filming and pulled it through. I also learned about making sacrifices. We were all cold but the producers bought us jackets and one of the producers Mr. Miles gave one of us his jacket and he was cold as well.

What are the top 3 skills that you have learned since becoming an Ambassador that helped you represent L.E.A.D. with excellence on this trip?

My top 3 skills that I have learned since becoming an Ambassador is being coachable, trustworthy, and being respectful. I have improved with all of these and they have helped me represent L.E.A.D. with excellence.

What 3 core values did you have to use each day while on the trip?

I used excellence, humility, and teamwork. These skills are important because without these skills you can't get the job done. You need to be excellent to get the job done. You need to stay humble and not get the big head about this opportunity. We had to work as a team to get everything done with excellence.

Describe the trip in 3 words.

Awesome because I have been to L.A. before but not for a documentary. Exposure because we are being exposed to traveling out of the state to L.A. to do a documentary and me being chosen to be exposed to this is great. Opportunity because I was chosen by Coach CJ which says that he can trust me to do whats needed to be done on this trip and him giving me the opportunity is incredible.

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