Kids bond with male role models at FUDGE

By DENISE DICK

denise_dick@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Aniya Chatman, 6, sunk a basket in the gymnasium of Horizon Science Academy with an assist from Edward Bunkley, her stepfather.

A smile spread across the girl’s face as Bunkley lifted her off the floor and up to the basketball hoop.

Bunkley was one of more than 30 male role models participating Friday in the school’s FUDGE — For Uncles, Dads, Grandfathers, Etc. — event.

Marines Ramos, the school’s activities coordinator and Spanish teacher, said the program was to allow “interaction between students, parents and the school.”

The school houses 203 students in kindergarten through seventh grade in the former St. Dominic School building on Southern Boulevard.

Bunkley attended with both of his stepdaughters, Aniya, who is in first grade, and Ari Chatman, 10, a fourth-grader.

“Because I love them,” he said, adding that he wants to support the girls and their schooling.

Both girls said they were enjoying playing basketball with their stepdad.

“They’re driving me crazy: ‘You have to come to FUDGE. You have to come to FUDGE,’” Bunkley said.

D.J. Walker accompanied his niece, Mya Irizarry, 12, a seventh-grader at the school.

“Her dad is working, so I came here to be with her,” Walker said.

He watched as Mya played basketball.

Brothers William Huff and Rey Delgado gathered around a chess board with Javon Huff, 6, who is in kindergarten, and William Huff Jr., 7, a first-grader. The boys are Huff’s sons and Delgado’s nephews.

Huff played alongside William while Delgado helped Javon strategize.

“They’re learning to play chess,” Delgado said, helping the boy count out the number of pieces to move his pawn.

William said he was having fun playing chess, but his attention was intermittently diverted to the basketball game behind him.

Huff helped his older son negotiate his chess moves.

“I wanted to come up and show support,” he said.