By Micha Green
AFRO D.C. Editor
mgreen@afro.com
On Thursday, March 12, Archbishop Carroll High School in Northeast, D.C. hosted an official ribbon cutting and special ceremony in honor of one of the District’s most legendary broadcasters, Jim Vance, who died in July, 2017.
Several journalists, politicians and leaders were in the building to pay their respects to Vance and celebrate the opening of the “Jim Vance Media Center” including, famous radio and television host Donnie Simpson, who served as Masters of Ceremonies, journalists Doreen Gentzler, who co-hosted {NBC}-4 News with the honoree, and Andrea Roane, who’s husband is also on the board of the school, and politicians Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5) and Robert White (D-At Large), both of whom attended Carroll.
Legendary radio and television host Donnie Simpson served as the Master of Ceremonies for the Jim Vance Media Center official ribbon cutting. (Photo by Micha Green)
“Jim was so huge… For me I was just freaking out, when I moved here from Detroit, because there were so many Black people on T.V. and Jim was like THE ONE,” Simpson said. “Jim was so cool. He didn’t walk, he just floated. It was like a Spike Lee movie. He was just the ultimate cool to me.”
“I’m truly honored to be here and to see this incredible thing that you have created for Jim in his honor. I know he’s looking down and smiling on us right now. It’s incredible,” Simpson added.
The ceremony included many speakers dear to Vance, Carroll and the program, including: Gentzler, his wife Cathy Vance, Larry Savoy, president of Archbishop Carroll, and Steve Newby, the benefactor, or self-described investor, in the Jim Vance Media Center- as he explained that the students were an investment as the truth-tellers of tomorrow.
A mural of legendary journalist Jim Vance at Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., which launched a journalism program in honor of the legendary broadcaster. (Photo by Micha Green)
One of the speakers was Amani Vance, daughter of the media center’s namesake.
“The Jim Vance Media Center hits home for me because a good part of my childhood was spent in the newsroom with dad,” she said. “I remember watching him all pensive and focused over a typewriter, as he tried to come up with the perfect words to convey a message. Whether it was a personal commentary or the news of the day, I could tell that he loved what he was doing and that it brought him a lot of joy.”
The daughter of the celebrated broadcaster also shared that her father had an immense passion for education. “Before I was even born, dad’s first career was a junior high school teacher,” she said. “He always said that the skills he acquired as an educator, prepared him for a career in media. It laid the groundwork and his later sense of responsibility to educate his viewers about the events of the world, our nation, our local communities and, most importantly, the stories of everyday people.”
Tenth Grade student, also known as “Vance scholar,” Alaina Wheeler, told the {AFRO} that being in the Jim Vance Media Program was more than she could imagine.
“I started in this program by coming to Carroll and applying because I wanted to get the full of experience of what journalism is really about, and then it just blossomed into something I could’ve never imagined. Now we have state of the art equipment and I made friends for a lifetime.”
Vance scholar, Ijeoma Okere, reminded the crowd why the program was important for the future.
“Let’s not forget the reason we’re all gathered here today. This program and this facility… is not just where any ordinary experience happens, but where young minds form the next tomorrow,” said. “By continuing the work and legacy of Mr. Vance our journalistic education, can, and will, help better, not only our community, but our society as well. Today a lot of fake news sources have been surfacing worldwide- falsely impersonating the art of journalism. And our goal is to restore.”
The Jim Vance Media Program accepts 20 freshmen from middle schools and offers a four-year full-tuition scholarship.
“We are a specialized program that partners with the Vance family and {NBC4} as well as other media stakeholders to maintain the legacy of ‘Jim Vance,’ {NBC4}, anchor and benefactor of a scholarship for students in the school,” wrote Program Director Dr. Cherie Ward.
However, the program is not only an important training ground. The staff cares about the students.
“These students are my children, as I affectionately call them, because they are my kids. Their parents gave birth to them, but we get to nurture them every day, day in and day out,” said Ward at the opening ceremonies.
