Mr. Reynolds & Jamal

Scenario:

Jamal was the kid everyone knew—but for all the wrong reasons.

• He never sat still in class.

• He was always in the principal’s office.

• Teachers braced themselves when they saw his name on their roster.

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He had been labeled a troublemaker since 4th grade.

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But what most people didn’t know was that Jamal was also a rising star on his AAU basketball team.

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Basketball was his escape—the one place where he felt capable, confident, and in control.

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But no one from school ever came to his games.

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Until one day, his principal showed up.

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Mr. Reynolds had spent more hours disciplining Jamal than he could count. But instead of another lecture, another suspension, or another parent meeting, he did something different—

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He sat in the stands at Jamal’s AAU tournament.

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He didn’t say anything. Didn’t make a big deal. He just showed up.

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At first, Jamal pretended not to notice.

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But after the game, he walked over and said, "What are you doing here?"

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"Well, you told me that you had game...I wanted to see for myself."

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Jamal didn’t say much. But the next Monday at school, something shifted.

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He was still Jamal—still full of energy, still talking too much, still pushing limits.

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But he started listening a little more.

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He started trying a little harder.

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And when Mr. Reynolds pulled him aside one day and said, "You know, between how people respond to you on the court, and how people follow your lead here at school- you could be a leader. You have that in you."—Jamal actually believed him.

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Because for the first time, an adult from school had seen him as more than a problem.

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Mr. Reynolds kept showing up.

Not just for his games—but in the hallways, the lunchroom, after school.

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By 8th grade, Jamal wasn’t just playing basketball—he was mentoring younger students.

By 10th grade, he was a team captain.

By 12th grade, he was headed to college with a basketball scholarship.

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And to this day, when Mr. Reynolds walks into a gym and sees Jamal coaching his own team, they always share a look—

The look that says, "You showed up for me when I least expected it—but when I needed it most."

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Discussion Questions:

1. Why do students like Jamal push boundaries in school but thrive outside of it?

2. What happens when an adult sees a student for who they are outside of school—not just in a classroom?

3. Who’s the student in your school that might need someone to show up for them in an unexpected way?