MIAMI – Retired NBA player Alonzo Mourning brought some musical flair to the Overtown Youth Center Thursday, bringing in some big names from the world of classical music to show off their abilities and inspire children at the center.
About 20 students from Booker T. Washington Senior High School and Jose De Diego Middle School were treated to the sounds of classical violist David Aaron Carpenter and his siblings, Sean and Lauren.
The trio also took some special requests from the students, playing popular pieces from Beethoven and Mozart.
Not only did the classically trained siblings show off their skills, they also provided advice and guidance to the students, telling them that discipline and hard work pay off.
"I think for a lot of young people, we always just stress the importance of an education and also just getting out there learning about new things and getting into hobbies that they're going to take for the rest of their lives," David Carpenter said.
Students told Local 10 News that they were inspired by the Carpenters' performance.
"They actually made me want to play the violin," Angela Clayton said.
"If you put work, effort and time in what you want to do, it will be accomplished. Anything is possible," another student, Jamari Wright, said.
In light of the latest rash of gun violence plaguing teens in South Florida, Mourning, the founder of the youth center and former Heat star, said such mentoring sessions are more important than ever before.
"For the past 12 months, 100 kids have been shot -- yes, it's bad," he said.
The Carpenter family will present a concert Thursday night. All proceeds will support the Overtown Youth Foundation.
