They know I go to war for them
the same way those kids go to war for me on the court so it's just a
give give type of situation.
Basketball has saved this man's life.
And now he's trying to do the same for others.
My name is Akbar Cook I'm the principal here at Westside High School
in beautiful Newark, New Jersey.
I don't know what title I guess I'm the principal
I'm an educator. I'm a teacher, I'm a father.
I'm just
I think I'm a change agent.
Principal Cook is responsible for the safety of more than 500 students.
His kids face a gauntlet of violence and danger on the streets every day for
For these children just to get to and from school is an ordeal in itself.
They have to navigate through gangs and then nonsense that goes on the streets.
I just don't know who they're here for
I don't know either, that's why, tell Porter...
Cook is strict
But also genuinely loves his students.
These are my babies I'm responsible for them long
As long as you're transparent with the kids and they know you're being fair
they don't mind the discipline everybody wants structure
So it's about how you do it
I'll never disrespect anyone, call them out the wrong way
It's someone they can relate to it can come to me with any problems that's going on in their life
and I help them the best way I can.
And part of that help includes messages posted throughout the hallways.
A constant reminder of what it takes to succeed.
I'm going to inundate them with positivity
If it's gonna be the death of me.
How you doing? Nah you good, come on, come on.
Changes that Cook implemented like installing a laundry room
and a nighttime recreation program called Lights On
are making a difference and catching the eyes of celebrities like Ellen and Oprah
who have made substantial donations to Westside.
I'm gonna always
aspire to be
motivational for them
because I know what it's like not to have and be surrounded by negative
I want this to be an oasis when it's all said and done.
Cook has a vision.
And that vision also includes basketball to help develop his students.
Just in my regular life just me as a kid man
basketball kept me out of so much trouble man, I play basketball every day with my friends.
Every day whether it was video games or was outside.
And I was able to navigate all the trials and tribulations that was going on in my city.
So, for it to save me when I got older
it's like, you know what I mean?
He cares about the community, he cares about the kids
He loves coaching, he's a visionary.
He's not selfish that's what I love about him.
He brings everybody with him.
Even though they're like 18, 19 years old they're still his babies.
He still take care of them like his babies
That's why, for me it's straight loving. He shows a lot of love to anybody.
He would rather have a conversation about what you want to do in the future
instead of what you want to do the next game.
Like everything with him is about building character and building us as better men.
Alright I want to see what they're working with alright?
Swarm on three. 1-2-3 Swarm!
When I get inside this environment it's like, honey I'm home.
I still coach because it gives me my solace, I'm at peace.
Come on! Come on! Come on! Come on! Come on!
Gimme that! Gimme that!
He's helped guide these young men from temptations of the streets
to basketball championships
and a better future
We say championships and scholarships.
So we've been getting a lot of ships lately
I'm just happy that my babies get to showcase
everything they go through throughout their lifetime
of basically just back and forth to school in all of that and they get to
unleash it on other people on the court man and that's that's what I'm most proud of
that we take all of that
pain and
strife and anxiety and just whatever they got that's
that, you know, they're going through and they get to
put it into their talent and they get to unleash it on other teams man so I'm really
happy that they played West Side basketball
Basketball, celebrity help
and having school staff buy in
all played a part to making real change.
I'm tired of just putting band-aids on things and now I'm happy that
the world has took notice my district has took notice
and now other educators taking notice and now we're going to change
the world, we want to be the change that we want to see
and I'm just happy to be, again, the change agent.
That's it baby.
We outta here.