WPCNR CITY CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. August 19, 2003: In his few months as Executive Director of the White Plains Housing Authority, Mack Carter has taken the word Authority out of the WPHA, and replaced it with the words “heart,” “intelligence,” and “ingenuity.” As a youth, Mack Carter grew up in the Sumner Projects in the heart of Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, and he remembers. Monday, at the opening of Coca Cola’s SummerScope 2003 at Highlands Middle School, Mack Carter gave back to 400 youths from White Plains, Mount Vernon and Harlem what he did not have long ago in Brooklyn: a week of instruction, recreation, and career advice in the fields of sports, television production, and entertainment.
In return for Coke placing soda machines in the seven Housing Authority buildings in White Plains at Winbrook, DeKalb and Lake Street, Carter reached an agreement with Coca Cola to bring Summerscope , a national entertainment and sports camp program run by the International Association of African-American Music to White Plains.
The program kicked off Monday at Highlands Middle School.
Carter said he had long hoped that Summerscope, a program in place for 19 years touring the country’s cities, could come to White Plains. Specifically he wanted Coca Cola to bring it to White Plains at a time when youths who were troubled academically could attend it. He said he saw the program introducing them to possibilities for the future at a time when they were finished with summer academic programs. Carter said he and Frank Williams of the city’s Youth Bureau and Timothy Connors, Superintendent of Schools had all worked together to bring the Summerscope program to White Plains and make it happen.
At 9:30, approximately 400 youths began registering for the Monday through Friday program. They were awaiting the appearance of Destiny’s Child star, Kelly Rowland, who was scheduled to appear Monday afternoon. Other stars and celebrities scheduled to appear this week at Highlands were MC Lyte, MTV VJ La La, Lil’ Mo, Big Tigger of BET’s Rap City, Rhythm & Blues artist Jaheim and Allan Houston of the New York Knickerbockers.
The news conference announcing the program was delayed for approximately 45 minutes, while the several hundred youths waited in their seats, patiently and well-behaved. We were all awaiting the arrival of News 12 crews. When it did get underway at 10:15, Mayor Joseph Delfino recalled that he attended school in this very building, and that he decided he wanted to do something in government, so he studied what he could about government. He noted that “Coca Cola is willing to invest in you young people so youave a career. We care about you.” Photo by WPCNR News
The program allows students to choose from three career paths: entertainment where they will meet some of the recording industry stars and star athletes. During the week-long camp, the White Plains, Mount Vernon and Harlem residents gain knowledge of the sports world and the entertainment industry through basketball clinics with pro athletes and coaches and seminars with music executives on breaking into the entertainment industry. After a brief introduction from camp celebrity leaders, each teen selects either a sports, or entertainment track for the week. The teens attending the White Plains camp at Highlands will have a choice of basketball, television production, and music.
Coca-Cola funds the free camp for some 2,000 teens over the summer. Previously the entourage has staged Summerscope in Baltimore, Richmond, Washington, D.C., Union City, New Jersey, Norfolk, Virginia, Roxbury, Ma., with White Plains and Brooklyn the last two stops.
Carter said he wanted to bring the camp back next year, but different sites are selected for the Summerscope tour each year, according to the Coca Cola representatives.
Carter said he felt it was the White Plains Housing Authority responsibility to improve the quality of life of families living in its buildings, and Summerscope was just one of the efforts he has undertaken to enhance opportunities and life for his “customers” as he calls them.
Carter said the Housing Authority is undertaking a new security program for all seven buildings, consisting of video surveillance cameras, as just one component, and that he would be able to supply more information on the security improvements shortly.
He announced that a new computer lab facility would be incorporated at the White Plains Housing Authority’s new headquarters being constructed at 225 South Lexington Avenue, for the use of residents and youths. He said the WPHA Headquarters should be completed in about 18 months, and would include a community Tenant Center with auditorium, as just two customer-friendly amenities the WPHA is bringing to its clientele.
