“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,” is probably Muhammad Ali’s most famous quote, and while it references his boxing style, Ali was more than ‘the greatest of all time’ boxers. Muhammad Ali is a documentary by Ken Burns premiering this month with the tagline, “Bigger than Boxing. Larger than Life.” I think that is a perfect way to encapsulate the life of a man who transcended boxing through awareness and activism.
In support of this documentary and Ali’s spoken word poetry and activism work, SCETV is offering the following community engagements especially suited for South Carolina middle and high school athletic coaches and English Language Arts teachers.
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Simile Slam
Middle and high school teachers, host a 'Simile Slam' to be featured on SCETV!
We're inviting you to submit a proposal demonstrating the teaching of a poetry unit encompassing Muhammad Ali’s Six Core Principles (see further below). If your proposal is accepted, we will come to your school or community and film a “Simile Slam” (like a poetry slam, but the poems must include a simile) to be broadcast on SCETV. For more information plus a rubric, please visit this page.
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Post-practice Personal Development Talkbacks
Middle and high school athletic coaches, this one is for you!
SCETV and special guests will facilitate sessions that consist of a 30-minute screening of the Ali documentary followed by a 30-minute discussion of the tenets featured in the screening. The goal of this exciting opportunity is to promote athletic excellence in performance and character and to help student athletes see themselves as an integral part of their communities and an important voice on matters that concern them. If you are interested in participating, please fill out the form here.
We are excited about this documentary and the many community engagements offered in connection. We look forward to hearing from you and partnering together to bring the inspiration of Ali to your students!
“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” - Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali’s 6 Core Principles
- Confidence: Belief in oneself, one’s abilities, and one’s future.
- Conviction: A firm belief that gives one the courage to stand behind that belief, despite pressure to do otherwise.
- Dedication: The act of devoting all of one’s energy, effort, and abilities to a certain task.
- Giving: To present voluntarily without expecting something in return.
- Respect: Esteem for, or a sense of the worth or excellence of, oneself and others.
- Spirituality: A sense of awe, reverence, and inner peace inspired by a connection to all of creation and/or that which is greater than oneself.
"Don't count the days. Make the days count." - Muhammad Ali
