Sue Duncan Children's Center » Alumni

50th Anniversary Celebration and Reunion

admin — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 22:41:09 +0000

Join Sue, current students and alumni of the Sue Duncan Children’s Center to celebrate 50 years of Sue’s work!

Saturday, June 18
1-5 p.m., rain or shine
Sue Duncan Children’s Center – 4225 S. Lake Park Ave. (at Jackie Robinson Elementary)
Featuring food, music, performances and basketball
Award to Sue presented by Principal Spiller of Jackie Robinson Elementary

Growing Up So Fast

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:58:56 +0000

Growing Up So Fast is a poem written by SDCC tutor and alum Latoya Lewis, 24. Latoya was a student at Sue’s from 1999 to 2003 and now tutors at the Center while working to get her Associate’s degree in Applied Science at Kennedy-King College in Chicago. “Sue always told me if you like to write, then write. If you like to read, then read, because people can take a lot of things from you, but they can’t take away your education,” Latoya said.

Latoya Lewis, SDCC Alum 2003

Growing Up So Fast

She is growing up so fast
I know she will be great
She is growing up so fast
Good fortune will be her fate

She was the smartest kid in kindergarten
And she did quite well in first
She had her ups and downs in second
But in third grade things got worse

Her neighborhood was very bad
People always got hurt nearby
The children were often mean to her
And many nights she would sit and cry

She never told her mom
Because her mom was never there
Her dad didn’t exist
It seemed that no one cared

Her grades fell tremendously
And her outlook on life got worse
Her existence didn’t seem to matter
Her life was simply cursed

She made it to her eighth grade year
And it was just by grace
She carried a chip on her shoulder
And wore a frown upon her face

She befriended a group of teens
That consisted of prostitutes and thugs
And before she realized what happened
She was introduced to drugs

She didn’t have a role model
The streets were her first love
Life started to take a toll on her
But she had yet to have enough

She soon became homeless
Her mom just moved away
And she turned to selling her body
For any amount of pay

She was getting older now
And was forced to fend for herself
So she began to shoplift and steal
As means to increase her wealth

Although she got away sometimes
Several times she failed
And at the age of 18
She was sentenced to serve time in jail

She was accustomed to a rough lifestyle
But jail was nothing she could fathom
A young girl dealing with hardships of the world
But this, she never imagined

It was the worst experience of her life
And it made her want to curl up and die
But she never ever told a soul
She just kept it bottled up inside

She vowed that once she was released from jail
She would alter her future
She spent the remainder of her time reading
And books were her only tutors

She found a love in writing
And her words made people gasp
She did not allow her future
To be dictated by her past

She had grown up so fast
And I just knew she would be great
Through trials and tribulations
She didn’t let her past determine her fate

She became a well known writer
And shared her story throughout the world
She used her knowledge and experience
To write the autobiography of this girl

What James Remembers

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:24:46 +0000

James Warren started his own non-profit organization after attending the Center in the early 80's.

Written by James E. Warren, SDCC Alum 1981

I remember standing on the balcony of my aunt’s third floor apartment on Woodlawn Avenue, with my cousins Michelle and Rodney Gordon. And once Sue’s suburban was spotted, they would yell “Sue’s coming!” Then, they would race to see who could run the fastest to Sue’s Center. I was left on the balcony wondering… who is Sue? And, why are my cousins so eager to see her? Because a young mind wanted to know, I asked my aunt for permission to attend Sue’s Center.

I was impressed with the safe and encouraging environment that Sue created for all the children under her care. SDCC was comfortable like a second home. Sue, and her family, made you feel like you were a part of their family.

In 1980, I remember attending the Jerry Sloan basketball camp with Arne, Chucky, Bernard, and Rodney (See photo below).

During the summer, I would return home from college and work in Sue’s Center.

After leaving Sue’s Center, I received my bachelor and masters degree. Moreover, I returned to enroll my children in SDCC. I have three boys who have attended the Center at some time or another. Currently my youngest son, Cameron, attends regularly.

The Sue Duncan Children’s Center has been a blessing to my family for years. We will never be able to show how much our family has benefited from this program.

Motivated by programs like SDCC, in 2004, I established the Center for Community Development, NFP (CCD). CCD is a 501c(3) non-profit organization committed to the development of youth, the empowerment of men, and the support of economic development.

James Warren remembers going to the Jerry Sloan basketball camp with Arne, Chucky, Bernard, and Rodney.

Fall Fete 2009

admin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:58:19 +0000

Friends of the SDCC:

Many thanks to all of those who attended Fall Fête and donated their time and money to make this year’s event so successful. As Owen Duncan said of the evening: “not only is the annual event crucial financially, it is emotionally and spiritually revitalizing for Sue and the rest of the staff at the Center.”

With your support, we raised nearly $90,000 to support the Center, a great start as we continue working to meet our needs for the coming years. You heard from Arne Duncan about the way the Center has shaped his view of education, and from Center alum Ron Raglin about how deeply Sue touched the lives of several generations.

The beginning of the 2009 school year has been our busiest ever and the Foundation Board will continue to work hard with your support to fund our critical needs. We encourage you to sign up for our online mailing list or Facebook group and visit our website. We look forward to providing you updates on this school year as we make progress.

-The SDCC Foundation Board

What Tyrone Remembers

admin — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:44:02 +0000

Written by Tyrone Smith, SDCC Alum 1991

Tyrone and his godson

I remember Sue’s Center being located at a church, and my younger sister, Tina, and I walking the 13 blocks between our home and the Center. Subsequently, Sue generously started giving us a ride home.

I remember Sue giving me my first job emptying the garbage and reading to the younger children at the age of 12. This instilled in me a sense of pride in that I was earning my wages (and not selling drugs or stealing like many of my other neighborhood friends during that time).

I fondly remember reading to some of the younger children in the program (little Tristan stands out in my mind – I hope and pray he is doing well).

I remember Sarah [Sue's daughter] taking me to the bank for the purpose of opening up my first savings account.

I remember Sue forming the first “Sue’s Center” basketball team for the “YVI” (Youth, Vision, Integrity basketball tournament held at Kenwood Academy) which I had the pleasure of participating in.

I especially remember playing pickup games with Owen, Terrence, Rolondo, Nazr (although he was almost a foot taller than all of us), and the many others at various times. Of course, those games were officiated by Tredarryl, affectionately known as “Squeeze.”

I remember having a safe and positive place to go once school ended (and being able to avoid the street gangs and other vices).

I remember the delicious raisin bread and cheese sandwiches we ate.

I remember the books that were available at Sue’s Center, and how they inspired in me a passion for reading. After consuming a majority of these books, Sue suggested other books (like Le Morte d’Arthur, a book that I subsequently consumed in 3 days!). This newly acquired veracity for reading made my studies in elementary and high school a much easier transition.

The principles that I learned during my time at the Center allowed me to avoid the typical negative pitfalls of high school. This allowed me to ultimately do well academically, thereby enabling me to attend college, and eventually graduate school. As a result, I’m currently an attorney working for the United States government in Pennsylvania.

From the bottom of my heart and soul, I’m grateful to finally have the opportunity to thank you and your family for the influence that you’ve had on my life. My life could have taken a much different turn for the worse but for the existence of Sue’s Center. Again, I want to thank you for all that you do, as well as the lives that you positively affect. I truly believe that there are angels walking on this earth, and you are certainly to be counted in this number.

What Michelle Remembers

admin — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:50:30 +0000

Written by Michelle Gordon, SDCC Alum 1983

Michelle Gordon is now a martial artist who runs her own Tae Kwon Do school in North Carolina.

I remember standing on the balcony of our third floor apartment on Woodlawn Avenue, watching to see if I could spot Sue’s blue suburban coming down my block. And once the suburban was spotted, I would yell to my brother and friends playing below me, “Rodney, Chucky, Peanut, and Luke!” “Sue’s coming!” Then we would race to see who could run the fastest to Sue’s Center.

I remember helping to carry bags of apples, boxes of cheese, books and bags of clothes for Sue, while she helped get Arne, Sarah and Owen inside the church.

I fondly remember Arne anxiously wanting to play basketball in the gym, Sarah sitting on the blue couch reading, and Owen in diapers.

I remember learning to overcome my math phobia by listening to Kerrie Holley explain algebra and trigonometry to my friend George Adams. I had never heard anyone explain mathematics so poetically. I remember Sue later hiring me to tutor younger children in various subjects.

I remember a guy from another neighborhood stealing Sue’s car battery, and the 47th Street thugs beating him so badly, that he was actually relieved to see the police, when they came to arrest him.

I remember reading to the younger children, helping Lucius Kinard with his math and Robert “R” Kelly with his reading.

I remember teaching Owen some of the new techniques that I learned in Karate class, and him teaching me to play chess.

I remember Sarah teaching me German. Although, I don’t remember any of it now, it helped me develop an affinity for foreign languages, and I now speak Japanese, Korean, basic Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, and can understand Vietnamese, Malayalam, and Tamil. Thank You Sarah.

I fondly remember sitting in circle with my friends, and talking to Sue about the dangerous environment that we lived in and the latest murder in our neighborhood.

I remember playing pick-up basketball games in the gym with Rodney, Chucky, Arne, Jo Jo, Hammond, Bernard, Duncan, Luke, Peanut, Tredarryl, Corky, Brick and Anthony. I also fondly remember watching some great basketball games featuring some of the above names against Mark Bonner, Pickles, Lil Danny, Cabbage, and Luvert Handy. Sue’s Center always had some of the best basketball players on the South Side of Chicago. It was always fun being there to watch who would come to play. Sometimes, Arne would invite his Lab School friends, Johnnie Rogers, Kwame Raoul, Sam Cunningham, and Walt Frazier Jr. It didn’t matter what neighborhood you came from; Sue’s Center on 46th and Greenwood was the place to find the best games in the city.

I remember going to Sarah and Arne’s high school basketball games and cheering for them. I also remember Arne going to play basketball in some of the worst projects in Chicago, and me going to protect him, just in case it wasn’t a peace treaty between the Black Stone Rangers and the Disciples.

I fondly remember going to Sue’s Center because it was the safest place to be when I wasn’t at home, and thanking God for having a Sue Duncan in my life.

I remember Sue encouraging me to go to college, to travel and see the world, to always reach out to help others, to write books and my biography.

Since leaving Sue’s Center in 1983, I have tried to do everything that Sue has asked me to do. I have graduated from three colleges, lived, traveled and trained in the Korean art of Tae Kwon Do extensively throughout the United States, South Korea, China and have won national and international awards in Tae Kwon Do and for my work with children. I have also written several books on Tae Kwon Do, and will soon begin writing my autobiography.

Reaching out to others is something that comes naturally for me as a Buddhist, so through my Tae Kwon Do dojang (school) I offer scholarships and tutorial sessions to any student that needs my help. My assistant instructors Caleb Bell, Edmond Bailey, William Adams and I refurbish old computers and give them to families that can not afford them, help with canned food drives for homeless shelters, and help families that need emergency assistance with food or clothing. All of my students help one another by giving their outgrown uniforms to younger students that may need a new uniform, and the parents of my students help me by carpooling children to various tournament or community demonstrations.

I try to run my dojang the Sue Duncan way, by instilling in my students the importance of reaching out to others and helping in their communities. Education and martial arts have so greatly enriched my life, opening many doors for me and putting me in touch with wonderful people. As a result of this, I currently run a successful Tae Kwon Do school in North Carolina. I will forever be grateful to Sue Duncan for encouraging me to see beyond my third floor balcony on 46th Street on Woodlawn Avenue in Chicago.