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Former Gothic Standout , current goodworx Founder Jeffrey Jordan, continues to hand out real life assists
New Jersey City University - November 22, 2010By Ira Thor
As a sharp-shooting, standout point guard for the New Jersey City University men’s basketball team during the most successful stretch in school history, Jeffrey Jordan, `91 knew a lot about handing out assists on the court. It proved to be the perfect metaphor for his future, because as an alumni Mr. Jordan has made delivering real-life assists his mission.
Today, Mr. Jordan continues to contribute to student-athletes at his alma mater through The GoodWorx Foundation, which he founded in 2003 with the goal of providing assistance to today’s young people as they navigate through their youth. Overall, the goal of the program at NJCU is to maximize student-athlete retention while encouraging the attaining of their college degree.
Mr. Jordan received similar assistance when, as a business major at then Jersey City State College from 1987-91, he played for legendary coach Charlie Brown, eventually serving as team captain as a senior.
“He taught me how to live responsibly with class and with the ultimate coolness—three things I try to practice in my life on a daily basis now,” said Mr. Jordan. “Coach Brown was and still is a mentor.”
NJCU, which has participated in the NCAA/CHAMPS Life Skills Program since February 2005, first partnered with The GoodWorx Foundation in 2007 to provide mentoring and life-skills training on an individual and group basis, primarily for those student-athletes who could benefit from academic enhancement.
The GoodWorx Foundation tailors an Individual Student Success Plan (ISSP) to each participant with the objective of building vision, setting goals, establishing plans and achieving success.
Mr. Jordan moved to New York City from Indiana at the age of six and admits growing up in a single-parent household in the 1980s had its challenges. Mentors, like Coach Brown, played an important role in his adolescent life.
“Every day you would see examples on the streets of how not to live. To have Coach Brown and my mother—the ultimate mentor and life coach—in my life, was like a beacon to follow.”
Mr. Jordan came to the University after a year at St. John’s University, and graduated as NJCU’s all-time leader in career three-pointers with 125 [since surpassed]. He scored 934 points while distributing 293 assists as an integral part of a program that registered a staggering 89-23 record and had a .794 winning percentage in 112 games. Jordan’s team’s were an astounding 60-12 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), including consecutive seasons of 17-1 league records (1989, 1990), while posting overall records of 24-4 and 25-3, respectively. Meanwhile, NJCU turned in a 47-8 home record during this memorable period. As a testament to his patience and concentration, Mr. Jordan remains NJCU’s all-time leader in free-throw percentage at 80.5 percent, making 161 of 200 attempts.
A 1991 Second-Team All-NJAC and Third-Team All-Met Division II/III selection, Mr. Jordan’s career was sandwiched around NJCU’s two Final Four teams (1985-86 and 1991-92 teams), but still was the second winningest four-year period in program history.
Mr. Jordan enjoyed perhaps the greatest games of his collegiate career on December 29 and 30, 1988, sinking a 25-footer at the buzzer to knock off host Bryant College before helping the Knights to stun defending NCAA Division II national champion University of Lowell the following day.
But despite a combined 49-7 record, the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons were bittersweet for Mr. Jordan and Coach Brown, who both felt NJCU, among the top ranked teams in the nation each season, should have played for national championships, but failed to reach that destination after being upset each year in the NCAA Tournament.
Fast-forward more than 15 years and Mr. Jordan, now a parent himself, cast the vision for The GoodWorx Foundation from his desire to create an organization that would provide the mentorship that was often absent during his own youth.
“It was important that I shared some of the experiences and pitfalls that I learned from that could benefit today’s young people. When I was thinking specifically of what programs we wanted to establish, mentoring was the key.”
For more than a year, Mr. Jordan researched the best practices of successful mentoring organizations nationwide. Then a resident of Sayreville, N.J., both of his children attended public school and were enrolled in after school programs. That is where his vision first took root, incorporating the mentoring philosophy into the Sayreville Middle School. The success of the initial program led to a partnership with the Sayreville Board of Education and the creation of a comprehensive after school program that included academic support, mentoring and a life skills component—including leadership and team building, while also allowing for recreation. The GoodWorx Foundation provided tutoring in small groups and strong communication with both parents and teachers.
With the success of the program in Sayreville, Mr. Jordan explored how The GoodWorx Foundation could support the NCAA/CHAMPS Life Skills Program at NJCU and in 2007 his proposal received a warm reception from the NJCU administration.
“I began talking with Coach Brown about my experiences as a student-athlete and we identified the resources and practical life skills that would benefit the current athletes.”
While the philosophy of The GoodWorx Foundation at the middle school and collegiate levels remains grounded in the fundamental ideals of mentoring and life skills, the content is delivered to the NJCU students on an age-specific level.
“At the University level, my No. 1 goal is simply to raise awareness of what [knowledge] is available to them,” noted Mr. Jordan. “We always start the year with our most important seminar—time management. How do they manage the time they have in the new environment they’re in? We customize all of the content presented during our seminars to the student-athlete, and depending on the grade level [upperclassmen vs. lowerclassmen], we’ll cater the content to the audience.”
Some of the sessions conducted by The GoodWorx Foundation include panels on study skills, introduction to personal finance and nutrition. As students near completion of their degrees, workshops will include material to prepare for life after college: career development skills, career exploration, resume writing and job interviewing.
“I want these kids to have more skills and more tools in the toolbox,” Mr. Jordan continued. “You need to develop skills to look at issues form different aspects and then utilize those skills in life.”
One of the true indications of the impact of The GoodWorx Foundation is those athletes who remain involved in the program until they graduate, despite not being required to attend. Former women’s bowling standouts Vicki Spratford, `08 and Amieé deNeuf, `08, took their involvement one step further—interning at the foundation before eventually working part time as mentors.
Another example of a student-athlete who reaped the benefits of the program is current men’s basketball assistant coach Alex Mirabel, `09, who played for the Gothic Knights from 2003-07. Coach Mirabel, the first student at the University to utilize the foundation’s programming, has continued his relationship for three years since completing his playing career and today works as a full-time mentor in the Sayreville Middle School after school program.
"It prepared me for the real world after college,” Mr. Mirabel described. “I already knew what to expect, what to do and what not to do before I graduated. We talked about time management after college, building time around work and how to prioritize things that are not important. The finance seminars taught us how to build credit and get credit cards, about paying your credit cards and college loans on time, and the impact on your credit and your life if you don’t pay on time.”
Mr. Mirabel added: “The experience I had is why I continue to give back as a mentor. It’s from the heart. When I was younger there were people who helped me and it’s my turn to ‘pay it forward’. Kids need good role models because there are not a lot of good role models out there.”
Mr. Jordan operates his non-profit foundation with support of federal, state and local grants as well as private contributions from community organizations and private companies.
Summarizing the future of the foundation, Mr. Jordan said: “I think NJCU has a lot of opportunity for mentoring programs that can benefit children and young adults. This collaboration between The GoodWorx Foundation and NJCU will ultimately lead to additional programming in the community and the campus that will help a lot of people.”
goodworx set to launch new website 11/15/10
goodworx Foundation - November 7, 2010By goodworx Admin
The goodworx Foundation announced the launch date for their newly branded website effective 11/15/10.
The goodworx Foundation has undergone a new branding campaign over the last 9 months and will continue their mission of providing leading mentoring and educational services, specifically, unique after-school and life-coaching programs for children and young adults.
Stay tuned for more late breaking news as the date approaches.
www.goodworxfoundation.org
Goodworx Goes Green Community Day
PRLog (Press Release) - June 5, 2010By PRLog
Four 4th grade Goodworx students generated a powerful Community Service idea which benefited the Community, the Environment, and the concept of "Paying it Forward". A true self-less gesture that benefited many...
READ ARTICLE AT EXTERNAL SOURCEAfter-School Program Focuses on Building Life Skills
Home News Tribune - March 19, 2010By Susan Loyer - Staff Writer
SAYREVILLE, NJ — Kayla Morris, 9, is feeling a bit more confident these days.
"I'm a very shy person, but now I'm talking a little more," said the fourth-grader at Samsel Upper Elementary School. "The discussions we have help. They help me with my homework. We read and do worksheets and then we get to have fun."
Kayla is among the students at the Ernston Road school attending the Goodworx Foundation's Mentoring, Tutoring and Life-Skills Coaching, or MTC, after-school program. Seminars focus on resource and time management, etiquette, decision making and peer pressure. Students also participate in recreational activities...
Mentoring Develops Better Grades
Home News Tribune - December 6, 2007By Susan Loyer - Staff Writer
SAYREVILLE, NJ — Andrew Jones' life was spinning out of control.
"I used to be bad," said the eighth-grader at Sayreville Middle School. "I was always getting into trouble. I was heading down the wrong path."
That is until Andrew, 14, hooked up with the Goodworx Foundation MTC — Meet the Child/Mentoring, Tutoring, Life-Coaching — after school program.
"Now I'm on the A/B honor roll," he said. "I haven't gotten in trouble this year. I'm proud of myself. I learned a lot of good things like how to do good in life and how to organize yourself. I don't know where I would be now without them."
Since last year, the Goodworx Foundation's MTC program has been providing pupils at the Sayreville Middle School academic support and tutoring, while teaching them valuable life skills.
The program began last year as a pilot program for about 15 at-risk pupils and was expanded this year to include any pupils interested in the program, said Jeffrey Jordan of Manalapan, the founder and president of the nonprofit Goodworx Foundation.
This year's class has grown to about 30 pupils, he said.
The program will be introduced into the Samsel Upper Middle School next month and hopefully will be expanded into the elementary schools in the next three years, he said.
The Goodworx Foundation, which tutors and mentors students on a private basis, was founded in 2003 by Jordan.
"My philosophy as a parent and a professional is that we live in an entitled society and I think our children are grossly unprepared for the life issues that will come to them," said Jordan, whose children attended the Sayreville schools. "We want to provide these kids with a dynamic, interactive experience that concentrates on the life skills that they will need now, in high school and in college. Our goal is to follow these kids from age 8 to 23 offering assistance along the way."
With the help of Sayreville Middle School principal Donna Jakubik, the MTC philosophy was introduced as an after school program at the school.
"Our goal is to instill within them the confidence necessary to pursue their dreams and realize their full potential," said Jordan.
The three-part MTC program includes an hour of academic support and tutoring, followed by seminars focusing on 12 different life skill topics that include time management, career planning, finances and budgeting and peer pressure. A recreation component also is included in the program.
The program also includes the Onward and Upward program, in which eighth-graders from the middle school and ninth graders from high school discuss transitional issues that face going from middle to high school, and a peer leadership program, in which high schoolers volunteer their time to the after-school program.
During a visit to the middle school last week, the pupils were learning communication skills, under the direction of Frances Ramirez and Michael Jacobs, both of Goodworx, aided by Sayreville War Memorial High schooler Jeff Taylor.
Pupils were given a target word and asked to repeat the first word that came into their heads.
"It's a very on your toes type of thing," Ramirez said. "You have to think on your feet."
They then reviewed the previous day's lesson in which they learned how to successfully interview for a job.
Ramirez then reviewed the rules for proper etiquette in a controlled debate and the group broke into two teams as they discussed the pros and cons of extending the school year to all year round or keeping the schedule as it is.
The Goodworx Foundation Grows Its MTC Program Throughout New Jersey
PRWEB - September 4, 2007By PRWEB
SAYREVILLE, NJ — The Goodworx Foundation announced today the expansion of its MTC Program within the Sayreville, New Jersey school district. The announcement came before the first day of the new school year and at a time when The Goodworx Foundation and the Sayreville Middle School reflect on the success the pilot program had the previous year.
The Goodworx Foundation is a non-profit 501-C3 organization which provides mentoring, tutoring, and life skills programs for children and young adults ages 8-23. Located in Monmouth County, and providing services in Middlesex and Hudson Counties, The Goodworx Foundation partnered with the Sayreville Middle School to provide after-school programming for at-risk youth in the 6th and 7th grade. The Goodworx Foundation instituted the MTC Program (Mentoring, Tutoring, Life-Coaching) which is a unique blend of all phases of mentoring and life coaching. The MTC Program also has 2 other components, an academic component which stresses study skills and preparation and hones in on academic progress, and a recreation program which provides positive energy release and emphasizes teamwork and sportsmanship...
