One by one, 20 third-grade boys walk up to Nicole Spivey, look her in the eye, shake her hand and introduce themselves.

It’s a small step, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Spivey, a transportation planner for the City of Dothan, visited Faine on Wednesday to talk about her work.

Spivey is one of several Dothan professionals to visit Faine Elementary as part of Dothan City Municipal Judge Rose Evans-Gordon’s “Reading Like A Rockstar” program.
In the program, third-grade boys at Faine Elementary listen to folks like Spivey talk about their careers and get reading assignments from Gordon. They also get career and behavior tips from Gordon aimed at helping them succeed in the professional world. Wednesday’s hand-shaking exercise was aimed at teaching the kids how to properly introduce themselves.

Gordon started the program at Faine Elementary, which has Dothan’s highest minority and poverty student population, because of troubling statistics she read concerning black males.
According to Gordon, only one of every 24 black males will go to college. Many of the others will be incarcerated at some point in their lives. Gordon said many of the problems black youths face begin in their early school years, when many do not master the reading skills they need. Gordon said working with the children has shown her how tragic the statistics can be.

“You see the promise and you see the statistics and you wonder where it goes wrong,” she said.

Gordon said motivating students to read and having local professionals speak to them about careers helps focus the students on doing something productive with their lives. It might also reduce the chances that Gordon will see them again in her courtroom when they’re older.

Spivey, who’s originally from Alexander City, said she had the benefit of two strong parents who encouraged and supported her. She realizes not every child has this advantage, but that other concerned, encouraging adults can make a difference in children’s lives.
“It gives them an opportunity to experience things they don’t know are out there,” Spivey said, talking about Gordon’s program.