Poet Brandon Leake gives summer camp something to ASPIRE to at ASU

As high school students in Alabama State University's ASPIRE summer camp prepared for a night of dance, music and poetry on June 23 in Abernathy Hall, they had a special guest cheering them on and offering words of encouragement — "America’s Got Talent" season 15 winner Brandon Leake.

The Stockton, California, native told ASPIRE students — who range from grades six to 12 — about his life and how it's important to never give up. After all, Leake was about these students' age in middle school when he first discovered the world of poetry.

"I couldn't sing, so being an R&B head, I would write poems for girls who I thought were cute," he told Ellen DeGeneres. "I never really shared (the poems). That wasn't really my whole thing, especially being a basketball player."

In college, he started the group Called To Move, with a goal of helping youth develop through the art of poetry.

"Writing is a really big space of healing for me," Leake said.

Leake performed the spoken word poetry play "Insomnia" at ASU. His appearance took place in the middle of his "For The Love Of It" tour.

"Things don't always turn out the way you want them to, but if you're consistent and stay on top of it, then you very well may obtain the goal that you desire," said Cynthia Handy, ASPIRE program director, in a release from ASU.

The summer camp program saw around 200 guests. Along with being entertained, they heard from students about what ASPIRE means to them. The event was free, but guests were asked to make a $10 donation. More than $1,000 was raised that night to fund extracurricular activities for ASPIRE students, such as their recent trip to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.

More about ASPIRE

ASPIRE is an after school enrichment program. It stands for Amazing Students Putting In Resilient Effort, and has been operating at ASU since 2010. It works in partnership with Montgomery Public Schools and surrounding areas to help students stay enrolled and help prepare them for college academics.

"It's been successful from the beginning," said Ken Mullinax, ASU's director of media relations. He said ASPIRE helps these students overcome educational challenges. "It's so important."

Both ASU faculty and students assist with the program. They hold sessions at ASU's Ralph D.Abernathy Annex from September through late April. ASU students also mentor at an alternative school once a month, and ASPIRE mentors also go to schools in rural areas where students wouldn't be able to meet at ASU.

ASPIRE offers virtual learning and practice for ACT exams. Their Freedom Writers program — to build self-confidence and develop social and emotional security — is available virtually and in person.

ASPIRE is also helping register students for the national Poetry Out Loud competition from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. The deadline to register is Oct. 1.

For $150 per student, ASPIRE offers its annual three-week summer camp to help students with math, language arts, science and social skills. The camp also offers electives in creative writing, dance and music.

An upcoming example of helping by ASPIRE is students going to a local community garden to help weed and clean there. Mullinax said ASPIRE's efforts are aligned with "CommUniversity" goals of Quinton T. Ross Jr., president of ASU — goals for the university to give back to others in the community.

"It's a really incredible program that melds academics and extracurricular activities together, as well as teaching children the importance of doing the right thing and helping others," Handy said.

Keep up with Leake's happenings online at brandonleake.com and calledtomovectm.org.

Learn more about ASPIRE and how to help at asuaspire.com.

Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at sheupel@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Poet Brandon Leake gives summer camp something to ASPIRE to at ASU