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NNPA ESSA Educator Spotlight: Jarren Small's 'LegendsDoLive' Helps Parents, Students

Westside Gazette - 8/10/2018

Jarren Small, a 28-year-old, Missouri City native and community activist, stopped asking, "Why not?" and became the answer that he was looking for when he launched the non-pro-fit organization LegendsDoLive.

In 2014, without any major partners, Small founded LegendsDoLive, an organization committed to funding and coordinating community-based programs for disadvantaged youth.

As a charismatic adolescent, Small was active in various extracurricular activities. He attended Hightower High School, played basketball and earned awards through the Media and Broadcasting Academy. In 2008, Jarren became an Eagle Scout. He credits his accomplishments to the positive impact of his parents' consistent engagement and strategic exposure to diverse environments.

Shrugging his shoulders, Small downplayed his impressive list of academic and extracurricular accolades.

"Yeah, I guess I was kind of a cool kid in certain aspects," Small said.

Ironically, Small's many accomplishments were nearly overshadowed by his difficulty with standardized testing.

"Everyone thought I had it all together, but I failed to pass the math portion of the state standardized test," called the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), Small said. "I passed the Math TAKS by one point-my fourth time. I felt like [God] was giving me one final chance to get it together."

After high school, Small attended Prairie View A & M University in Prairie View, Texas, an hour's drive to the northwest of Missouri City.

"I did very well at [Prairie View A & M University]," Small said. "It was one of the best decisions I've made in my life."

And once again, Small was quite the standout student. He obtained a bachelor's degree in mass communication with a minor in marketing. As an undergraduate, he led a movement to bring the first panther statue to campus in reverence of the university's founding fathers.

(Read full story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)