Mikal Jackson
Giant Staff Member of the Month
Our Giant Staff Member of the Month for October 2023 is Mikal Jackson, ISS Clerk at James Bowie Elementary and founder and coach to the step team Young Men Successfully Steppin’.
Mr. Jackson doesn’t just watch students in ISS, he mentors and builds relationships with them to promote positive choices and personal growth. In January 2022, he saw an opportunity to work with some of the young men in need of mentorship and formed a step team, the Young Gents. The program started with six members at Bowie Elementary and quickly grew to 30 from various schools across the district. The team is now a non-profit organization called Young Men Successfully Steppin’ and promotes teamwork, dedication, discipline, and sacrifice.
Mr. Jackson’s commitment and dedication to growing Giants throughout the community is an inspiration and his mentorship will have lasting impacts on the lives of the young men who have the opportunity to be on his team.
Thank you to Houston Methodist Baytown for sponsoring this award.
Autobiography
By: Mikal Jackson
What inspired me to begin this group were the students in Goose Creek. The boys needed something to look forward to, something to belong to, and I believe I was called to give that to them. Many of my boys struggled academically and behaviorally, Y.M.S.S. provided them with an alternative method to release stress and something to hold them accountable for their learning and academics.
The type of dancing the boys do is called step. Stepping is a form of percussive dance in which the participants entire body is used as an instrument to produce complex rhythms and sounds through spoken words, footsteps, and handclaps. Y.M.S.S. stands for Young Men Successfully Steppin’.
Born with the name Michael Jackson, I was destined to entertain. Watching and learning from my biggest inspiration the legendary king of pop himself is what began my passion. I joined local dance teams and school step teams to better my craft.
On January 12, 2022, I introduced myself to several grade levels of students to showcase what being on the step team was all about. From there six boys decided to join the team. For several weeks, I worked with them, and slowly more and more students began to join. Now, I have a waiting list of kids who want to be part of this organization.
At Bowie, I have 12 boys (4th and 5th grade) but within Goose Creek I have another. 24 (4th through 7th grade). I have a total of 36 students in the organization. The Y.M.S.S. organization formed because the fifth graders at Bowie did not want to leave the team and neither did their families. The boys were doing well with step and in school. To end something that has brought positivity and light to their life is something that I couldn’t do. We are now a family and a brotherhood. The organization is bigger than I ever thought it would be. The boys are being taught self-discipline, technique, responsibility, conformity, and sacrifice.
I never imaged that my dream would stretch from 2200 Clayton Dr. in Baytown to New York City. I also never imagined the art of step and having young men displaying it effortlessly and passionately would have the impact It has. I would love to continue reaching more students by eventually having high school students join my organization as well. I want to provide a haven for the boys to come regularly to learn different values, tutor and help them with homework, social skills, and responsibility.