Billy McKinney Visits ZCMS

As 8th Graders are preparing to leave middle school and move onto high school, Principal Venus Shannon thought a visit from Zion Commissioner and mayoral candidate Billy McKinney would make a huge impact on how they view school and their future. Billy McKinney grew up similarly to the students attending ZCMS as he attended Elmwood Elementary, Zion Central Middle School, Zion-Benton High School, and eventually went to Northwestern University. During Mr. McKinney's speech, he focused on what his family/financial situation was growing up and how people would try to label him as a statistic based on where he came from. He proved those people and those statistics wrong as he went on to have a successful basketball career at Northwestern and in the NBA. Mr. McKinney and Ms. Shannon wanted ZCMS students to realize that they have the potential to do amazing things and have a wonderful life, but it is their responsibility to get there.