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Grant is magic in classroom

Christopher Maughan
The Gazette
Thursday, August 21, 2008

The man they once called Magic is at it again. But this time, he’s making miracles happen in the classroom and in the community, not in the ring.
Otis Grant says he’s had a number of offers to get back into boxing over the two years he’s been retired. But the boxing world had better move on, because Grant seems to love his new line of work.
“I lucked out getting this job,” said Grant, a Gazette Voices of the Community columnist.
Since January 2007, Grant has been running the community learning centre at Riverdale High School, which is part of a pilot project taking place in 20 English-language schools in Quebec.
At Riverdale, Grant is responsible for 10 community initiatives, including a literacy program for mothers and toddlers, a Saturday morning basketball program, and a one-week catch-up course for kids who have failed an exam during the school year.
The make-up program is run by Bashir Hussain, the executive director of the Alliance of South Asian Communities. He and Grant bring together students who have failed history, math or science in a class led by a paid tutor. Though it’s run by a South Asian association, Grant says the program is not exclusive to South Asians by any means.
“This is a very diverse community,” he said of the Pierrefonds neighbourhood around Riverdale. “I try to reflect that in my community partnerships. But all our programs are open to everyone.”
Grant said the make-up program is not for every student, just the ones the school identifies as having the potential to pass. Kids who scored 20 per cent on their exams, for example, aren’t ideal candidates.
cmaughan@thegazette.canwest.com