The spirit of youth basketball crackled through Davao City as it hosted the SBP–Passerelle Twin Tournament 2025, one of the country’s longest-running grassroots competitions. For decades, the league has been a launching pad for players who later shine in high school, college, and even professional basketball. This year, Davao’s young hoopers once again showed why the city remains a hub of talent, discipline, and passion.

Height doesn’t matter but Focus does!

Hidden Gems Archery hosts its 3rd Annual Future Pro Invitational on Dec. 13, uniting NYC students for inclusive archery, focus, leadership, and teamwork.

QUEENS, NY, UNITED STATES, December 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ — Hidden Gems Archery proudly announces the return of its 3rd Annual Future Archery Pro (#FutureArcheryPro) Invitational, to be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at Grover Cleveland High School in Queens, New York. This citywide tournament brings students together to compete in an inclusive, skill-building environment that promotes leadership, focus, and teamwork through the sport of archery.

The Invitational is part of the Future Archery Pro Initiative, a program designed to increase access to archery for young people across New York City—particularly in underserved communities. Participating schools are invited to bring up to ten students, with additional slots made available as capacity allows. Teachers and coaches oversee student selection, transportation, and on-site supervision, creating a seamless partnership between school communities and the Hidden Gems Archery team.

“Every student deserves a chance to aim higher, both in archery and in life,” said Natasha Green, CEO & Founder of Hidden Gems Archery. “This event builds more than athletic ability—it develops patience, discipline, and self-confidence while expanding access to a nontraditional, inclusive sport.”

*Empowering Partnerships with Schools*
Educator partnerships are at the heart of the program’s success. School leaders across the city have embraced the opportunity to bring archery into their physical education programs and after-school offerings.

Luis Torres, longtime supporter and former principal of CS 55 in the Bronx, shared:
“Working with Hidden Gems Archery over the years has shown me the powerful role archery can play in building student confidence. It’s more than a sport—it’s a tool for focus, motivation, and growth.”

The Invitational is hosted at Grover Cleveland High School, where Hidden Gems Archery also provides adaptive archery instruction to students on the autism spectrum.

Principal Pascente added:
“We’re proud to support adaptive archery as part of our inclusive physical education model. Events like this show students they can succeed in spaces where they may not have traditionally seen themselves.”

*Building a Movement, One Arrow at a Time*
Participating students will compete in both individual and team events, with prizes including the coveted “School with Highest Points” award. All participants are encouraged to have completed at least four archery sessions in advance to ensure familiarity with safety protocols and competition standards.

Transportation assistance—including a Bronx-based bus route—is available for schools that need support, and planning meetings are open to all educators involved in the event.

“Thank you for this opportunity for our students!” said Principal Kelly Nepogoda, reflecting the enthusiasm and commitment from school leaders citywide.

Since its launch, the Future Archery Pro Invitational has engaged schools across all five boroughs and continues to grow as a model for how sports can drive equity, confidence, and leadership in young people. Hidden Gems Archery welcomes new school and community partners interested in bringing this innovative program to their campuses.

*Event at a Glance*
What: 3rd Annual Future Archery Pro Invitational
When: Saturday, December 13, 2025
Where: Grover Cleveland High School, Queens, NY
Who: Students from NYC schools participating in competitive and adaptive archery
Contact: info@hiddengemsarchery.com | (475) 328-2339

Natasha Green
Hidden Gems Archery
+1 718-924-9538
email us here
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Future Archery Pro May 2025

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Detroit Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield wed  Rickey Jackson Jr. in a private ceremony at The Godfrey Hotel on Sunday.

There’s no official title for the spouse of the mayor. Sheffield is Detroit’s first woman to serve as Detroit’s head executive.

Jackson is program manager for Project Play: Southeast Michigan at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and the brother of WNBA star Rickea Jackson.

Jackson hasn’t appeared much in local news reports. A LinkedIn profile shows Jackson had past roles as an advisor at New Paradigm for Education, a student mentor at Adrian High School and assistant director of admissions at Defiance College in Ohio. Sheffield wore an engagement ring during her campaign but declined to say who her fiancé was until after the wedding.

In a Monday statement from her mayoral transition team, Sheffield and Jackson said they were “grateful for all the love prayers and well wishes we’ve received during this special moment in our lives.”

Sheffield posted more thanks and images from the ceremony on her Instagram page on Tuesday.

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is serving as fiduciary for Sheffield’s transition process. It launched Project Play Southeast Michigan in 2017 to build youth sports opportunities. The initiative is a collaboration between the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and the Aspen Institute.

Jackson’s LinkedIn profile states he is “passionate about expanding access to quality sports, play, and physical activity opportunities for all youth across the region.”

BridgeDetroit requested an interview with Jackson to learn more about his background and public service experiences. Sheffield’s transition team said they would follow up after the newlyweds have some time to celebrate their nuptials privately. 

The Detroit City Council was sworn in this week and started an orientation process organized by the City Clerk and Legislative Policy Division.

The agenda included sessions on Monday and Tuesday focused on council responsibilities, meeting rules, ethics, contracting, city agencies, staff appointments, safety protocols, media services and technology.

Formal sessions will resume in the first week of the New Year.

In the meantime, help me improve this newsletter! I’m overhauling the Notebook for the new year and genuinely need your help.

• What kind of information would be most useful to you?
• How should we cover the new City Council and mayor?
• Do you want me to focus on 2026 elections for state and federal offices or keep it hyper local? 
• Do you prefer short summaries in your inbox or all the detail I can muster?

Shoot me a note at mbarrett@bridgedetroit.com.

I remain chronically online, and, by consequence, come across lots of great information I’ll never have time to report on myself. I’m sharing with you and closing these tabs on my computer.

Detroit’s RoboCop statue in Eastern Market is like a meme come to life, but Daily Detroit’s Jer Staes convinced me there’s more to the story than you’d think. He got the inside scoop on how the saga unfolded, and the details will surprise you

Staes also reminded me that for as much as people may scoff or cringe at Detroit’s derelict depiction in the film, “RoboCop” remains a caustic, prescient satire of the soul-consuming nature of corporate greed. Maybe it’s worth revisiting art that explores how the human spirit perseveres against the forces of predatory capitalism and fascism.

Congressman Shri Thanedar introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday. Thanedar accused Hegseth of allegedly murdering Venezuelan civilians suspected of trafficking drugs and mishandling classified information by discussing war plans in an unsecured chat app.

Read Thanedar’s reasoning in the articles of impeachment here. The effort may end the same as Thanedar’s failed attempt to impeach President Donald Trump earlier this year. Axios explains why.

Thanedar is running for reelection in the 13th District and faces a primary challenge from state Rep. Donavan McKinney, who was endorsed by dozens of Black leaders, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and the Justice Democrats.

Mayoral candidate Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. called for a renewed focus on eradicating childhood poverty in his first public statement since losing the 2025 race. Kinloch, writing in Deadline Detroit, said the city can’t celebrate its recovery while half of children are under the poverty line.

Kinloch, senior pastor of Triumph Church, also argued that most registered voters didn’t participate in November elections “not because they didn’t care — but because they didn’t feel connected.” He earned just 22% of the vote.

The Detroit Ice Boiz are back on Belle Isle, hosting weekend pickup pond hockey games as long as the weather allows. Last year, we covered how the inclusive community group is preserving a historic tradition of casual hockey on Belle Isle’s frozen waterways.

I was out with the group again last weekend and can confirm it remains chill and open to all. Consider donating to a GoFundMe page, which will fund equipment and community events.

Detroit’s heavy embrace of tax abatements is considered necessary when developers face high property taxes and construction costs, but what happens when tax breaks expire

Clara Hendrickson at the Detroit Free Press took a sharp look at Detroit’s reliance on abatement programs that need Legislative renewal. One thing that stood out to me is how much we actually don’t know — there’s no cost-benefit analysis to draw from.

Many are trying to emulate the annual Spotify Wrapped feature, which recaps each user’s unique music consumption over the year. The Detroit Institute of Arts did it better than most, listing which pieces in its online collection attracted the most attention.

It’s a fun read, and a great reminder of how many iconic pieces the DIA has in its inventory. Here are my most-listened-to songs of 2025, and no, I will not explain myself.

Related

Students don’t have to make the journey abroad alone. URochester faculty often go abroad—for work and for plays.

English 252: Theatre in England is a four-credit course led by Katherine Mannheimer, professor and chair of the Department of English, that sends students to the British capital for two weeks over winter break to attend and discuss around 20 plays in theatres across the city. The syllabus includes Shakespeare and work by up-and-coming playwrights. Recent highlights have included Antony and Cleopatra, Oedipus, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

In between morning classes and attending all of those plays, students visit the British Museum, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and other cultural sites. The annual trip is open to undergraduates and graduate students regardless of major.

“I’ll remember this experience for the rest of my life,” says Brittany Broadus ’24, who was an English and psychology double major. “From the start of the class to the very end, I felt like I was living in a dream.”

ROC Galapagos has been a semester-long program for undergraduates offering hands-on field research and intense learning in evolutionary biology, ecology, and conservation. Based in Ecuador, with field work in the Amazon rainforest, the Andes mountains, and the Galapagos Islands, students have taken in-person formal courses from URochester professors, conducted field surveys, and collected data on topics such as invasive species and endemic wildlife.

“My experience was incredible,” says Christine Bresnahan ’25, who majored in ecology and evolutionary biology. “I loved living with my host families. I got to grow my Spanish and learn about their country’s culture and history. And the life skills I learned were invaluable.”

WHITE PLAINS – Mount Vernon youth basketball coach Dwayne Murray has been indicted by a Westchester County grand jury on charges related to his alleges sexual abuse of a child.

District Attorney Susan Cacace said the 63-year-old Murray was charged with the felonies of predatory sexual assault against a child and course of sexual conduct against a child.

County Court Judge Robert Prisco issued a temporary order of protection on behalf of the victim, who was under the age of 13.

Murray is currently remanded at the county jail.

The top charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 25 years to life in state prison.