One of the most prestigious classes offered here at U. City is Men of Valor. It takes a lot of dedication to be recognized as a Man of Valor, as he must be seen amongst himself and his peers as a beacon of leadership. 

This past Friday, Sept. 9 the Men of Valor program hosted Larry Hughes, former basketball player, for a learn and lunch that would allow the young men to learn the meaning of valor and honor firsthand. Dr. Sharonica Hardin-Bartley, superintendent and Dr. Peoples, U. City principal and director of secondary education, gave introductory speeches for Hughes. 

“Larry Hughes spoke to the importance of being humble despite the amount of success that someone has,” Bishop Baker, Men of Valor teacher, said. 

Hughes grew up in the U. City area and became a professional athlete who played professional basketball for 14 years.

“Larry spoke to the boys about the importance of discipline and using your resources and how a kid from U. City makes it big,” Baker said.

There were many lessons learned from the young men over the course of the meal. 

“After listening to Mr. Hughes I was able to figure out my reason for going to school and playing football, and it’s because I want to be financially stable and make sure my mom and grandma don’t have to worry about anything,” Shayne Burrow, freshman, said.