Ennis graduated from Ventura High and Sheridan Way.
by Amy Brown
Homegrown NBA superstar James Ennis III recently returned to his former elementary school, Sheridan Way Elementary in Ventura, to visit with students and inspire them to reach high—literally and figuratively. He brought school supplies, sports equipment, and gave the kids a pep talk for the coming school year and beyond. “It was great to see so many smiles on their faces. Back then I wish I’d had an NBA player come here!” said Ennis.
Ennis grew up in the avenues in the Westview Village housing project with his five siblings. He shared that he wanted to donate to Sheridan Way because he felt it was important to give back to the community. “I came from low poverty, it feels good to be home again. I wanted to give back once I made it to the NBA,” said Ennis. “I want to be a good role model—if you set the bar high, you can accomplish your goals.”
At 6’7”, the Philadelphia 76ers’ small forward is anything but small, but that didn’t stop him from enthusiastically diving in to play basketball with the elementary students during his visit to the school. He also posed for photos and signed autographs.
“It was really amazing having someone famous talk to us,” said Sofia Tadeo, a 4th grader at Sheridan Way. “It’s pretty cool he went to school here; when he talked to us, he said we just have to work hard to achieve our goals.”
Ennis graduated from Ventura High and attended both Oxnard and Ventura colleges. He ultimately transferred to Cal State Long Beach, and was initially drafted into the NBA in 2013 by the Atlanta Hawks. He shared that education had been important to him, helping him to learn to work hard and have discipline. Asked who some of his early influencers were in Ventura, he responded that Felix Cortex at Ventura High had been one of his favorites, and that Coach Joey Ramirez at Ventura College had had a big influence on him, treating him like more than just a rising basketball star, but also like a person.
Asked if there was one message he wanted to leave with the students and kids growing up in the difficult area that he did, he replied, “I tell them anything is possible, and that there’s a lot of talent in the 805!”
Ventura County School Board Member Matt Almaraz attended the event as well, and stopped to shoot some hoops with the kids while Ennis spoke to visitors. “It’s pretty phenomenal that someone who came from this same area, this same school, is now a professional basketball player,” said Almaraz, who served years ago as a Youth Program Director at the Westpark Community Center where Ennis had played growing up. “I know the hardships these kids go through, and for someone to come back who’s made it, it’s really special to see.”
