People interested in donating books, backpacks and school supplies to the Jeffrey Coprich Jr. Book Club for students at 116th Street Elementary School in Watts should call 323-422-0186 or 661-388-0418.
By Kyle McRae, Cal Athletic Communications
Jeffrey Coprich Jr. opened his remarks to a group of fourth and fifth graders gathered in the auditorium at 116th Street Elementary School in Watts by telling them he had come to visit them to talk about “education, reading and having a dream.”
“It was good coming back home,” Coprich said. “I always love talking to young kids, inspiring them in any way I can.”
The Watts native certainly did that during his recent visit with the inspiration spreading well beyond the students.
I have been privileged to spend more than 20 years working on college campuses and traveling around the country and even overseas with collegiate athletic teams. In my current position at the University of California in Berkeley, I work with eager, energetic, brilliant and busy student-athletes on a regular basis. I have also seen plenty of great stadiums, arenas and ballparks, terrific teams and outstanding games, but what I saw earlier this month in South Los Angeles was better than all of them.
The South Los Angeles area where Coprich spent his youth has a bad reputation and harrowing stories of life in the hood. For many of those of us in the over-40 crowd the tales of what was then known as South Central or South Central Los Angeles were told through movies such as Boyz n the Hood and music from the likes of Ice Cube.
When I exited the 110 freeway onto the Imperial Highway in Watts it was arguably what the imagery of the movies and music had told us. There were bars on nearly every window, trash in the median and a few people roaming around seemingly aimlessly.
But that’s where the story changed – and it’s a story that everyone needs to hear.
As I excited my car near 116th Street Elementary School to help coordinate Coprich’s visit in an unfamiliar neighborhood I immediately felt comfortable, noticing something that you would expect to see in any community in the United States – kids laughing, playing and having fun in the school’s playground. I walked down the street and there were blue and gold balloons at the front entrance to greet the Cal contingent and when I walked inside myself and Cal videographer Jason McClain were immediately welcomed with open arms by the school’s principal Tyra Henderson and members of her staff. Coprich arrived moments later along with his father, Jeffrey Sr., and stepmother, Danielle, and were greeted with the same tremendous hospitality.
How could this possibly be the same place we hear about on the evening news that is known for spawning horrific acts of violence that have devastated families. South Los Angeles is certainly a tough neighborhood with plenty of problems but it’s also a place with plenty of success stories, with one of those on bright display that day in the heart of Watts.
“We are very proud of Jeffrey and the accomplishments he’s had over the years,” Henderson said. “We’re most proud of and impressed with his desire to come back to his childhood neighborhood and support the students here and just represent us well. There’s a lot of imagery across the country about what South Central is, what Watts is, and I’m glad that Jeffrey can show that there are good things happening in the inner-city community. We’re proud of him for that.”
“Every media outlet should have been here today,” Jeffrey Sr. said in reference to the media’s penchant for spreading the bad news but not telling the good stories.
Shortly after his arrival, Coprich was whisked away into the auditorium bearing his photos and of course more blue and gold decorations. Coprich is no stranger to serving in the community as both he and his father, founder of the Inner City Youth Foundation and L.A. Inner City Mass Choir, have been involved in plenty of community service projects throughout the years.
““I’m lucky to have a man like that in my life,” Coprich Jr. said about his father. “I thank him all the time.”
Coprich seemed at ease as he stepped to the podium to deliver his message. There was no hint of nervousness in the 21-year-old as he talked confidently to the wide-eyed, attentive and well-behaved group of youngsters about the virtues of education and having a dream.
“When I come and talk to the kids, I want to come face to face with them,” Coprich said. “I want them to know that I was sitting in the same seat as them, that I struggled with things just like them. I hope I can talk to them and help change their lives or the way they look at things.”
After his address to the students, Coprich stuck around to answer a wide array of questions before taking photographs and signing autographs with what seemed like every person in the room.
But Coprich was far from finished with his visit and next on his agenda was a trip down the hall to the Essence K. Coprich Library named in honor of his late sister who was killed in a car accident that Jeffrey survived on a return trip home from a family reunion in Las Vegas on his third birthday on August 3, 1996.
Nearly 20 years later thoughts of Essence still inspire and motivate him.
“I wish my sister was here every day but she lives through me,” Coprich said. “A lot of times I do and say things I wouldn’t, but I believe it’s my sister living through me. She was supposed to be the big one in the family.”
One of those things he does is read, something he struggled with himself as a youngster. On this day, Coprich read to a group of younger students and really seemed to really hit his stride when he entered the library and gave each one of them their own copy of “The I AM! Affirmation Book”.
“I am! And I am made from love, which also made the rainbow, the flower, the sea and the dove,” Coprich read from the book before the students read back in unison.
Coprich and the students continued to take turns in reading similar passages throughout the book with many of the students taking the lead until the book finally concluded with …
“Now I know who I am, and when I close my eyes I see the incredible child that I am, The I Am, that is me.”
By that point the room was energized and filled with plenty of good vibes and energy. There were no tears (expect maybe a few of joy) and no sadness, just a whole lot of smiles and laughter that lit up the room.
During the reading Coprich encouraged the students to keep the book with them at all times and to read it as many times as they wanted, stressing the importance of having confidence in yourself.
“Any time you’re feeling down on yourself read this book,” he said.
Many of the students learned terrific lifelong lessons from Coprich’s visit.
“I learned that your dreams could come true. It’s not very hard.” – Yahir
“I learned to never give up on your dreams, always learn and do hard work.” – Anaya
“I learned not to let anybody tell you what you can do and what you can’t do.” – Alasia
“I learned to always follow your dreams and to stick to what you plan on doing when you grow up – Amaree
Amaree also pointed out that “this is my first time hearing from a college student that came to our school to tell us about sticking to our dreams and staying in school” and the comment resonated with Jeffrey Sr.
“One of the most touching things that I will cherish from this visit to 116th Street Elementary School is when the young lady said that you hear about it and you see them going to college, but no one ever comes back and says you can do this.’”
Jeffrey Jr. wants to make sure that pattern changes.
“I’m going to do my job to go back to the community and do everything that I can,” he said.
“Jeff has made me proud as a father,” Jeffrey Sr. added. “Everything that I’ve tried to instill in him he has surpassed that as my son, as a student, as an athlete. I’m so proud of him. I’m overwhelmed.”
Coprich has been recognized for his work in the community as one of 22 college football players across the country selected to the 2014 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. The prestigious off-the-field honor recognizes dedication to community service by paying tribute to a select group of student-athletes who have worked positively to impact the lives of others.
He was recently presented with his Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® trophy in front of his teammates following a Cal practice. As a member of the team, Jeffrey will attend the 2015 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl and participate in a community service project prior to the game.
“Jeffrey is very passionate about helping young people and trying to make a difference in their lives,” Cal head coach Sonny Dykes said. “He saw a need and has done a really great job of dedicating a lot of time and effort to it.”
“Often times children are not validated enough and feel isolated because no one may listen to them or hear about their dreams or aspirations,” Coprich emphasized. “When I talk to kids I want them to know that they matter, that each one has a unique and special gift inside of them that can be used for the betterment of humanity. When children receive positive attention from adults they feel valued, visible and like they are worth something to someone. This increases their self-esteem in a way that no amount of money can purchase. When a child’s self-esteem increases they feel better about themselves and learn the value of their existence in the world.”
Perhaps the most important outcome of Jeffrey’s work might come years down the road as illustrated by his answer to a reporter’s question when he was asked what it would feel like if one of the kids he spoke to came up to him when they are college-aged to tell him that he was the reason they were in college.
“That’s going to be a special moment,” Jeffrey said. “That’s what I’m looking forward to. I hope they do, that’s the purpose right there. I want to change kids’ futures on a better path, because mine did for sure.”
