Avonti is one of several girls at Crossover Mission who has developed a leader since enrolling at Crossover directly through her participation in the Transcendence girls program.

At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, Avonti approached her Success Coach at Crossover and expressed her desire to play at the varsity high school level–as an 8th grader. Her coach carefully listened to her reasoning and then organized a road map that would help her reach her goals.

First, Crossover emphasized that Avonti needed to improve her grades. Her reading skills in particular demanded attention and accordingly, our program staff and her assigned volunteer academic mentor drilled down on reading. We also encouraged Avonti to use her Study Hall time at school more effectively.

Second, she needed to put in work on the basketball court at Crossover. In response, Avonti practiced with the boys’ teams four times a week at Crossover, participated in Crossover’s Elite Training program, and honed a new work ethic that benefitted her athletically, academically, and socially.

Third, we identified Avonti as a natural leader and her mentors used the Transcendence programming specifically to develop her leadership skills as both a basketball player and member of our community.

Avonti’s grades improved. She became a starter on her varsity team and had two triple doubles this season. Avonti leads the girls’ basketball team at Crossover–now ranked seventh of 34 travel teams in our region. Avonti recently attended the Leonard Hamilton’s Basketball Camp on the campus of Florida State University in preparation for even more success in the upcoming season. Avonti’s growth this year is transformative.

Her participation in Transcendence Girls Program through the year is where Avonti’s mentors have evidenced the most growth this past year. Avonti has acquired the skills valued in a leader: confidence, a positive attitude, organizational skills, communication, adaptability to different environments, not afraid to ask questions, and willingness to speak up when she perceives something wrong. Under her leadership, now in highschool, Avonti is one of the leading girls in the Transcendence program. Under her leadership, she she helps to advance a healthy peer network, professionalism, excellence, and continues to drive progress on and off the court for herself and others.