Nassau County Legislator Scott M. Davis (D – Rockville Centre) joined with Morrison Mentors, The Town Basketball and community members at Hempstead’s Kennedy Memorial Park on Saturday, Jan. 14 for the inaugural Arthur Morrison Classic basketball tournament – an event held in honor of a beloved educator and community leader who passed away in September 2020.
Competition throughout the daylong event featured athletes drawn from three separate age groups – a sign of Morrison’s deep connection to the community.
Morrison graduated from Hempstead High School in the mid-1960s and later returned to become a renowned teacher and basketball coach at the high school. Throughout the district, he was known for leading a weekly basketball team at Kennedy Park and tutored children in Spanish and math in the park’s multipurpose room.
In 2012, he teamed up with cofounders Doron Spleen and Ike Makuado to launch Morrison Mentors, which delivers STEAM (science, technology, arts, electronics, and mathematics) education through workshops, events, one-on-one tutoring, and internship programs. The organization also provides professional attire and devices such as laptops and tablets to participants.
“For more than a decade, the Morrison Mentors have worked diligently and selflessly to enrich the lives of deserving students in Hempstead, Roosevelt, Westbury and across Nassau County.
Their noble mission of service is a living testament to the values and the vision of Arthur Morrison – a man who gave so freely of himself to the Hempstead community during his life,” Legislator Davis said. “It was wonderful to see such a strong turnout for this inaugural event and his honor, and I am glad to see that so much good work is continuing in his name.”
