Highlighting a CIS Gives Back site for Pender County Teen Court

By Tracy Lafon, CIS Pender County Community Programs Manager

A Pender County native, Desmond Jordan hails from Rocky Point. He attended Pender County Schools and was in one of the first graduating classes of Heide Trask High School. He played basketball, ran track and was a star running back for the Titans.

High school was just the beginning of his athletic career.  Jordan went on to play in the European football league, where he won a European Championship title.  He returned home after his time abroad to open his own gym, The House of Gains in Burgaw, where he continues to support area schools through coaching and his partnership with Communities In Schools.

Jordan first became familiar with Communities In Schools when he was hired to work with the Burgaw Middle School Summer Enrichment Camp.  He enjoyed interacting with the students and really appreciated the mission of CIS.  Since that first camp, his role has grown and he now provides enrichments for afterschool programs at Heide Trask High School, Pender High School, Burgaw Middle, Cape Fear Middle, and West Pender Middle.  Last year, he officially signed on as a Community Service site for The CIS Gives Back program, allowing students the opportunity to work at the gym to carry out the sanctions handed down from a jury of their peers in Teen Court.

He says he works with Communities In Schools because he knows these kids, he understands them, and the need for positive resources and support. He loves the fact that programs offer students fun things to do and interactions with people that they might never otherwise get a chance to experience.  Most of all, he says that he loves watching students grow up, and tries to be good role model.

This November, Jordan expanded his inspiring role when he traveled to Australia to compete with Team USA in the US Powerlifting Association World Championships. He ended up placing first in the deadlifting category, and first place for Team USA.

Jordan hopes that if our local CIS students see that someone who was just like them can reach for the stars, they will believe they can do it, too.