After twenty years in the National Football League, Washington Redskins cornerback Darrell Green had much advice to offer area adolescents about the importance of character during his speech on campus Saturday to the Tenley Achievement Program (TAP). This weekly program is offered to seventh and eighth grade boys to foster academics, athletics and character development.

Growing up in Texas, where “everybody played football,” Green said he achieved his goals by following “a game plan I started when I was a young kid.” He said this game plan consisted of discipline, character, and self-confidence, all of which led him to a starting position as cornerback for Texas A&M University.

Mentors in the TAP program hope to play such a role in the character formation of the approximately 30 students involved in the school year program, an offshoot of the summer program that is in its fourth year. Volunteer Dan Gallagher said, “I’m here to help the students to learn to be successful people.”

The program meets every Saturday and offers one hour of math tutoring, one hour of English tutoring, 20 minutes of character building and 40 minutes of athletic activity. Character building, the major emphasis of the program, is achieved through “team work, courage, hard work and perseverance,” according to counselor Jason Pierce.

Senior Ben Kaczmarski, a TAP math tutor, said the program “integrates excellence and virtue” to give students “the direction and focus they need “to succeed. He said Green’s talk will hopefully encourage such achievements by first promoting the formation of a game plan by which “young boys become young men.”

Of Green’s visit to the program, Kaczmarski said it was important to have “someone of that stature come in and talk about values.” He added that one student commented that Green’s message is “still sinking in, but I think I’m going to do something about it.” With the help of TAP and the encouragement of Green, many more students will hopefully go on to complete high school and also higher education.

Green said that he could not have achieved the success that he has without the support of his wife of 17 years and his family and friends. “There is no true success that doesn’t include other people, working with and for others,” said Green. He stressed the importance of others in the formation of character, “a combination of traits that allow me to be who I am,” that ultimately leads to a fulfillment of the students “game plan for life” as well.

From the April 19, 2002 Edition of CUA Tower