2008 Woodie Awards
Katrina Leadership Project:
Northeast Ohio Leadership Profile
Michelle Burnworth, KLP Reporter
Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: Life
My name is Michelle Burnworth , and I'm a 19-year-old student at Lorain County Community College. I am involved in the Katrina Leadership Project, as a reporter for the project. I am doing leadership profiles in Northeast Ohio. During February, I will do articles to illustrate Black History Month, and in March I will have articles that highlight Women's History.
From its beginning in 1892, Women's Basketball has made many great strides leaving no rock unturned. In 1972 Congress passed Title IX in order to alleviate the imbalance between boys and girls, not only in athletics, but also within our educational system. Title IX provided girls like Shay Selby opportunity to receive scholarships, and an education to help facilitate their careers and future aspirations. The law resulted in the creation of a revolution for women, and what it really means to be a female athlete. Being a female athlete no longer hindered anything weak but instead signified something of resonance and strength.
While America has been able to improve women sports, females still experience discrimination due to the lack of enforcement of Title IX in our learning institutions. No one can conceal the struggle women have had to ensure equal rights or the fact that even today in some cases society operates as sexists toward girls achieving as much, if not more than men. One individual who hasn't let the past dictate her vision is Shay Raquel Selby of Geneva, Ohio. Selby, 18, is a senior at Regina, a private all-girls high school in South Euclid. Selby will further her basketball and athletic career at Duke next year on a full scholarship. She was introduced to the game in second grade.
"I wasn't that good at all when I first started playing basketball, after that I just dedicated myself to the game," Selby said.
From there on, everything else is history. Selby wouldn't let up her love, dedication and commitment to the game would override any odd that might have ever been against her. During her middle school years she played AAU on a boy's seventh and eighth grade team. Her father Tim has been practicing with her since she was young at their local YMCA. Together they built a basketball court in their backyard when she was young. Selby has understood the meaning behind hard work since she was at a very young age, and with that embedded into her attitude she is able to apply that to all aspects of her life. Standing at five foot nine, Selby was ranked the number one point guard in the nation in her 2008 class, and the number 13 overall recruit by Hoopgurlz.com. An active member of the National Honor Society, maintaining a 3.8 grade-point average, Selby understands that education comes first. At Duke she plans to major in Medicine studying either in the field of Sports Medicine or Physical Therapy.
From its beginning in 1892, Women's Basketball has made many great strides leaving no rock unturned. In 1972 Congress passed Title IX in order to alleviate the imbalance between boys and girls, not only in athletics, but also within our educational system. Title IX provided girls like Shay Selby opportunity to receive scholarships, and an education to help facilitate their careers and future aspirations. The law resulted in the creation of a revolution for women, and what it really means to be a female athlete. Being a female athlete no longer hindered anything weak but instead signified something of resonance and strength.
While America has been able to improve women sports, females still experience discrimination due to the lack of enforcement of Title IX in our learning institutions. No one can conceal the struggle women have had to ensure equal rights or the fact that even today in some cases society operates as sexists toward girls achieving as much, if not more than men. One individual who hasn't let the past dictate her vision is Shay Raquel Selby of Geneva, Ohio. Selby, 18, is a senior at Regina, a private all-girls high school in South Euclid. Selby will further her basketball and athletic career at Duke next year on a full scholarship. She was introduced to the game in second grade.
"I wasn't that good at all when I first started playing basketball, after that I just dedicated myself to the game," Selby said.
From there on, everything else is history. Selby wouldn't let up her love, dedication and commitment to the game would override any odd that might have ever been against her. During her middle school years she played AAU on a boy's seventh and eighth grade team. Her father Tim has been practicing with her since she was young at their local YMCA. Together they built a basketball court in their backyard when she was young. Selby has understood the meaning behind hard work since she was at a very young age, and with that embedded into her attitude she is able to apply that to all aspects of her life. Standing at five foot nine, Selby was ranked the number one point guard in the nation in her 2008 class, and the number 13 overall recruit by Hoopgurlz.com. An active member of the National Honor Society, maintaining a 3.8 grade-point average, Selby understands that education comes first. At Duke she plans to major in Medicine studying either in the field of Sports Medicine or Physical Therapy.
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