Pasadena Star News - August 26, 2006
by Kenneth Todd Ruiz Staff Writer

PASADENA - When Tecumseh Shackelford swears he is going to stay away from John Muir High School for good this time, he sounds as if he's only trying to convince himself.

As the energy behind aggressive mentoring of hundreds of young men, Shackelford's reluctance to retire from his post as chairman of the Mentoring & Partnership for Youth Development program after nearly six years isn't driven by salary angst. In fact, he's never been paid.

"A lot of people don't believe I'm leaving," he said.

The 59-year-old was honored by the trustees of the Pasadena Unified School District on Tuesday night for the impact he's made on young men, mostly African American and Latino, at the high school.

Speaking in rapid bursts of sincerity, Shackelford makes apparent his pride in the program, his team of mentors, and most of all, the boys he's worked with.

This past June, all 21 seniors among the 70 students earned their diplomas. All are going on to higher education.

Although Shackelford said letters from parents and students are all the compensation he needed, 18-year-old Hernan Salazar said the payoff of being in the program was something tangible: a diploma.

"If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have graduated," Salazar said, describing the man he and others know as "Shack" as his role model, friend and mentor.

"Without him I wouldn't now be going to college."

Salazar said he wants to be a detective, and plans to study criminology at Pasadena City College before transferring to Cal State Los Angeles.

School board member and former Muir teacher Scott Phelps originally recommended Shackelford to put the program together when then- Principal Eddie Newman wanted to intervene academically with young men of color, particularly athletes.

"He's really one of these advocates we need so desperately in the system," Phelps said. "I wish we could clone him."

Shackelford had recently ended his 31-year career with the city of Los Angeles, retiring as a light equipment operator with the Department of Water and Power.

"Any time people hear you're retired, they think you need something to do," he said.

His daughter Tecumsah, now 20, attended Muir at the time, but graduated two years ago. Her father stayed. He announced his departure more than once, but said the next grade of students, Salazar included, pleaded with him to stay.

Except for accommodating several students on probation, participation is voluntary. The students must want to be a part of it.

Shackelford served the role of matchmaker, finding mentors with interests that complemented the students' individual aspirations.

Before each school year, the group attends a camp retreat to learn team-building and are coached in civility.

On every school day during the academic year, a different speaker addresses the group, along with weekly roundtable discussions and regular breakfasts for students and their mentors.

But job training, tutoring and mentoring are only the framework for building academic results - students who drop below a 2.0 grade point average are kicked out of the program.

"You have to put something back in yourself, you have to want to achieve something," Shackelford said.

Tutoring is offered after school, and the mentors - who are updated on their student's grades - bridge the gap between the classroom and the home.

"The parents are not here every day, but we are," Shackelford said.

Shackelford and the other mentors help students find jobs at places such as a nearby hardware store or restaurant.

But when a student misbehaves on the job, as Shackelford said does happen, they can't be allowed to diminish the reputation of the students who are doing right.

Growing up in Mississippi, Shackelford said he and other black children had to duck down while riding a bus to a church-sponsored summer camp to avoid being seen.

It was early intervention in his own life, mostly through the black church community, that put the bug in him to do the same, he said.

Shackelford estimated that continuing the Muir program will cost an estimated $140,000 each year. Most of its support has come from private-sector supporters such as developer Dorn Platz, Jaylene Moseley and McDonald's, as well some state grant money.

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todd.ruiz@sgvn.com

(626) 578-6300, Ext. 4444

© 2006 Pasadena Star News