DETROIT — The Jalen Rose Leadership Academy  hosted its 15th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic recently, at the Detroit Golf Club, drawing sports legends, entertainers, and community leaders together in support of educational excellence in the city.

The two-day event is JRLA’s flagship fundraiser, benefitting the tuition-free public charter high school founded by former NBA star and ESPN analyst Jalen Rose. Attendees included Isiah Thomas, Calvin “Megatron” Johnson, and Tobias Harris, all joining the mission to uplift Detroit’s youth through access to quality education.

A major highlight of the event was the announcement of a transformational gift: Henry Ford Health is donating its former Kingswood Hospital facility to JRLA.

The post Jalen Rose Leadership Academy Announces Major Expansion appeared first on La Prensa Latina.

The Lansing community is mourning the loss of legendary Everett High School basketball coach Johnny Jones, who passed away on April 29, 2025, at the age of 75. Jones, a beloved figure in Michigan high school athletics, leaves behind a legacy defined by championship success and an unwavering commitment to mentoring young lives.

Over a 32-year coaching career at Everett High School, Jones guided both the girls’ and boys’ basketball programs to state titles. He led the girls’ team to back-to-back championships in 2000 and 2001, and brought home a boys’ state title in 2004. Beyond the trophies, Jones was known for his remarkable leadership and the values he instilled in generations of student-athletes.

His dedication earned him numerous accolades, including the Associated Press’s Class A Girls Basketball Coach of the Year and MHSAA Region 6 Coach of the Year. But to many, his greatest achievements were found in the character of the young men and women he helped shape.

A public “Celebration of Life” memorial will be held on May 10 at Everett High School, to honor the man who had become a cornerstone of the school’s athletic and educational legacy.

NBA Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson, a Lansing native, also paid tribute to Jones. “Johnny Jones was not only a friend but a powerful influence in our community,” Johnson said. “His legacy will live on in the lives of everyone he touched.”

Coach Johnny Jones is remembered not just for victories on the court, but for the lasting spirit of unity, discipline, and compassion he brought to Lansing Everett and beyond.

Coach Johnny Jones was a friend of mine from Lansing whose impact and legacy will resonate throughout the region for many years to come. He led Everett, my former high school, to back-to-back women’s basketball championships in 2000 and 2001 and later led the men’s basketball… pic.twitter.com/Ir1IOJUlnh

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 7, 2025

The post Legendary Lansing Everett Coach Johnny Jones Remembered for Championship Legacy and Lifelong Impact appeared first on La Prensa Latina.

 By Tanya Garcia | Lansing News Wire

Lansing New Wire had a chance to catch up with Tevin Crawford Jr, Lansing Everett High’s freshmen wrestler in the 132-pound division. Here is what he had to say about his wrestling experience in Meet the Vikings Q&A:

Q: What inspired you to start wrestling?

A: My uncle inspired me to wrestle and I stuck with it ever since. I keep driving and working to make my uncle proud even though he’s no longer with me.

Q: Who has been your biggest influence in wrestling?

A: It has to be my dad. He influences me to wrestle even when I don’t want to. He makes me push and work hard no matter what.

Q: What do you love most about wrestling?

A: The process of getting better each and everyday.

Q: What does a typical week of training look like for you?

A: It starts with some sort of lifting in the morning and in the afternoon I have regular practice.

Q: What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in wrestling?

A: A injury I faced as a seventh grader set me backwards for a while and caused me to relearn me.

Q: Can you describe your first match? How did you feel?

A: My first match, I’m always nervous but as soon as I step on the mat it all goes away.

Q: What has been your proudest moment in wrestling so far?

A: Winning my first match of each year every year.

Q: How does it feel to be back with the team this season, what are your individual and team expectations?

A: My individual expectations start with qualifying for States as a sophomore and my overall team expectations is for no one to give up at anytime through out the year.

Q: How has being a student-athlete helped you grow as a person?

A: It’s helped me mature and grow in technique.

Q: What does it mean to you to represent your school as a student-athlete?

A: It overall means when I walk in the place I represent the school and not just myself.

Q: What lessons have you learned through wrestling that apply to your life outside the sport?

A: You have to be strong mentally before physically.

Q: How would you describe the strengths and overall dynamic of your wrestling team?

A: Our captains, it lies in us being able to push the team and each other to be better.

Q: What’s your coach’s name and share one piece of advice from your coach that has stuck with you?

A: Timothy Foster, he’s told no matter what I’m battling outside the sport I have to deal with that first.

Q: What’s one thing you admire most about your coach’s leadership style?

A: : How much he actually cares about us as a team and individuals.

Q: What advice would you give to others who want to start wrestling?

A: Stay strong and stick with it.

Q: What’s your signature wrestling move, and does it have a cool name?

A: Sweep single

Q: Have you ever had a match where something hilarious or unexpected happened? What was it?

A: Yeah, a kid head butted me at the end of a period.

Q: If your team had a karaoke night, who would steal the show, and what song would they sing?

A: One of the other captains Antonio Williams, and I honestly have no idea.

Q: If you could wrestle any celebrity, who would it be, and why?

A: Spencer Lee, just to learn and grow through the match.

Q: If wrestling had walkout music like boxing or MMA, what would your theme song be?

A: Ain’t it Fun by Paramore

Q: What is your favorite classroom subject?

A: Math, it makes the most since there is almost always a solution.

Q: What is your dream school/university?

A: Michigan is the school I’ve wanted to attend for a long time.

Q: What is your favorite place to go eat?

A: Chick fa la

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

A: Japan

Q: What’s a hobby or activity you enjoy outside of sports?

A: Spending time with my family.

The post Lansing News Wire Q&A: Tevin Crawford Jr, Lansing Everett High’s Sophomore Wrestler appeared first on La Prensa Latina.

Lansing New Wire had a chance to catch up with Cayden Root, Lansing Eastern High’s junior wrestler in the 126-pound division. Here is what he had to say about his wrestling experience in Meet the Quakers Q&A:

Q: FULL NAME

A: Cayden Root

Q: What high school do you represent? 

A: Eastern

Q: What grade are you?

A: 11th

Q: What weight class do you wrestle?

A: 126

Q: What inspired you to start wrestling?

A: My friends.

Q: Who has been your biggest influence in wrestling?

A: My coach.

Q: What do you love most about wrestling?

A: That it makes you work hard everyday.

Q: What does a typical week of training look like for you?

A: I train six days a week, then wrestling on Wednesday and Saturday.

Q: What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in wrestling?

A: Coming wrestle everyday and cutting weight.

Q: Can you describe your first match? How did you feel?

A: Felt very nervous.

Q: What has been your proudest moment in wrestling so far?

A: Pining people.

Q: How does it feel to be back with the team this season, what are your individual and team expectations?

A: My individual goal is to win 30 matches, and my team goal it to win duals.

Q: How has being a student-athlete helped you grow as a person?

A: It’s made me more confident.

Q: What does it mean to you to represent your school as a student-athlete?

A: It means to not act like a bad kid, so everyone doesn’t think are school is bad. I want to represent my team and school in a positive manner.

Q: What lessons have you learned through wrestling that apply to your life outside the sport?

A: To always work hard.

Q: How would you describe the strengths and overall dynamic of your wrestling team?

A: We have a few good wrestlers.

Q: What’s your coach’s name and share one piece of advice from your coach that has stuck with you?

A: Coach AP, he told me to always work hard.

Q: What’s one thing you admire most about your coach’s leadership style?

A: He straight to the point with things.

Q: What advice would you give to others who want to start wrestling?

A: It’s not easy, but just push though.

Q: What’s your signature wrestling move, and does it have a cool name?

A: My signature move is the arm drag, but I don’t have a cool name.

Q: Have you ever had a match where something hilarious or unexpected happened? What was it?

A: I can’t really think of anything.

Q: If your team had a karaoke night, who would steal the show, and what song would they sing?

A: Probably Wylie and IDK what song he would song.

Q: If you could wrestle any celebrity, who would it be, and why?

A: Probably Bo Basset because I feel like he would make me way better.

Q: If wrestling had walkout music like boxing or MMA, what would your theme song be?

A: Boogieman by EBK Jay

Q: What is your favorite classroom subject?

A: Gym

Q:What is your dream school/university?

A: MSU

Q: What is your favorite place to go eat?

A: Tangy crab

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

A: Italy

Q: What’s a hobby or activity you enjoy outside of sports?

A: Going out with friends and eating.

The post Lansing News Wire Q&A: Cayden Root, Lansing Junior Wrestler appeared first on La Prensa Latina.

Lansing Eastern’s Olivia Delacruz poised for junior wrestling campaign 

By TANYA GARCIA | Lansing News Wire

LANSING— Lansing Eastern’s Olivia Delacruz is back on the mat, and she has plans to return to Michigan’s High School State Championships at Ford Field.

“ It feels great to be back with the team, I’m even more excited for the new season,” Delacruz said.

DeLaCruz, 17,  has much to be thrilled about after earning All-State honors at last year’s state competition, and being bestowed the title “The Ambassador” because of her back-to-back trips to State in her freshman and sophomore campaigns, and for being an outstanding student athlete representative of her school.

Delacruz also competes in cross-country, soccer, tennis and plays drums for the marching band at Eastern. She is a member of The National Honor Society and enjoys reading and writing, she said.

Her high school’s storied wrestling history is rich for its champions dating back nearly 100 years,  and 1992 Olympic Gold medalist in Kevin Jackson. Delacruz rose to become Eastern’s  first female wrestler to make it to State.

Now a junior, wrestling in the 115-120 weight class, she said she is more poised and ready to wrestle the best and her competition leading to her third straight trip to Ford Field with the Lansing Eastern Quakers.

“Qualifying for state my freshman year was never my goal,” Delacruz said. “ Aside  from the feeling I get when I win a match and my  friends and family congratulating me for my victory, my proudest moment as a wrestler has been my high school trips to wrestle for the State Championships to bring another wrestling  title to Eastern.” 

Delacruz finished eighth in her weight class last year by picking up two wins at State to make All-State status. It was a level up after going two and out on her first trip to the big dance in Detroit her freshman year.

Delacruz is coached by Lansing Eastern Head Coach Arnold Pulliam.

Delacruz said Pulliam puts her and the team through a rigorous training of preparation that  is composed of  conditioning, drills, and live wrestling.

Even though she promotes wrestling she is clear about it being ferocious in between the team camaraderie and individual success.

“ There is always the possibility of injuries  and cutting weight is challenging. The advice I give others  who want to start wrestling is to  definitely make sure you’re up for it because it’s a tough sport.”

Delacruz will tell you she doesn’t remember her first wrestling match. What she does remember was being inspired by her older brother Benicio Delacruz and who introduced her to the sport when she was in the third grade, and she has stuck with it over the years.

To make it to State you have to have the grit and the right moves to be successful, and from all of the wrestling moves and techniques she said the double-leg takedown is what she calls her signature move in wrestling. 

 “Being a student-athlete has helped me grow as a person and given me the courage to try more things, be more bold and gain confidence in life and on the mat.”

The post THE AMBASSADOR: Lansing Eastern’s Olivia Delacruz poised for junior wrestling campaign  appeared first on La Prensa Latina.

Kaleb Blevins has always wanted to be a police man for as long as he can remember.

Blevins, 10, suffers from cancer, so Lansing Mayor Andy Schor and Police Chief Ellery Sosebee and several police officers went to Blevins school recently to give him a surprise and make his wish come true.

“We had the honor of swearing in 10-year-old Kaleb as an honorary LPD officer.
Our officers first met Kaleb at our Shop with a Cop event, and they instantly took a liking to him. Unfortunately, Kaleb has been diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer. It turns out that his dream is to one day be a police officer, so we knew we had to make it happen,” Lansing Police Department said on Facebook.

The post Lansing Police Department swears in Kaleb Blevins as an honorary police officer appeared first on La Prensa Latina.