Hello O.K. Program alumni:
The National O.K. Program is providing this page for you to share something about your O.K. Program experience. You may comment on how the program impacted your life or simply make a statement in regard to how you feel about the O.K Program.
Please provide your name, the chapter you participated in and the year(s).
EXAMPLE: My name is John Doe. I am an alumni of the Cordova Chapter in Rancho Cordova, California. I was in the O.K. Program from 1999 – 2005.
Hello My Name is Joshua Weatherspoon and I’ve been a O.K. kid from 97-02 from the Cordova chapter. This program and what it stands for is what I put out ever single day and I’m always proud to call myself an O.K. kid! Growing up you wouldn’t think that something as small as studying for 2 hours, eating lunch, then playing b-ball or weight lifting would be something that would help you become a better man in life. The bond that you make with the other “kids” there is strong where you can always feel like that they will have your back no matter what.
Like most others I grew up without a father, but on top of that I had 2 trouble brothers around the same age as myself that could have easily pulled me in the wrong direction. Because of the strength of this program and the father figures that were there; from Deputy Northcross, Coach Harris, & Deputy Turner, they didn’t allow me to fail, and saw the potential in me to become a great student and leader.
The thing that I love the most about being in this program is that they didn’t just help out the “bad” kids or the “lost” kids, I was a top student in middle high (4.0 gpa) and high school(3.33 gpa). But never was there not a van or car outside of my house on Saturday’s to pick me up for study hall. Even though it wasn’t there to get my grades up but more to make sure I took home the lesson of being a better student, a role model, and great man in life.
Today I am a manager for AT&T, I own my house, and I will soon be completing my degree for computer programing. None of this would be there for me if I wasn’t in the O.K. program
Joshua Weatherspoon
AT&T Mobility
Deputy Northcross and the O.K. Program! Where do I begin?! I am a alumni of the O.K. Program in Rancho Cordova, Ca class of 2005. The O.K. Program changed my life as well as many of my friends growing up. Dep and his group of male leaders showed us weekly what it took to be successful, responsible, self-accountable, young, black men. Like a lot of other boys in Rancho, I did not have a father figure growing up; Dep took hundreds of kids under his wing and didnt give up on any of us! Dep showed me and my friends that life is always about fun and games, sports, girls or money. He wanted us to see that our character and education could and would take us further than any of those things! The O.K. Program is always about school first! Dep made sure we had our head in the books every saturday. We had requirements to meet in order to go on the O.K. TRIP! So not only did we not want to let Dep down, we didnt want to see our friends on the bus riding away and us on the sidewalk because we didnt make the steps! LOL..Dep made learning fun and always made sure the younger kids had older members to look to for help in school, in life or in sports! All the best Athletes at Cordova were in the O.K. Program. It really is a life-changing experience and this world needs more me like Deputy Northcross in it! I am currently living in San Jose, Ca as a senior at San Jose State University. Though I have outside business and personal vocations, I have and always will plan to get my degree; I know Dep will be on a First Class flight to see me. The O.K. Program does need to be nationwide and I am going to do everything in my power to help it reach that plateau.
Caleb A. Tate
Marketing Sales Rep/Senior Finance Major
San Jose, Ca
Hello to all alumni, students, teammates, officers, and members. My name is Troy Hall, and I am also a proud alumni of the OK Program, Cordova Chapter – class of 2002. The Ok Program played a huge role in my life growing up. Though I was never a bad student or a trouble kid, the program gave me something to stand for. Deputy Northcross and the teammates came in my life at a pivital time. I was 11 years old going into junior high and never had a father or a father figure. These men practically raised me. For 6 years every Saturday, instilling in me values that only a POSITIVE black man could. A funny and embarrasing story I’d like to share is during my 8th grade year. During study hall, which is now called a “kick it session”, is where I first learned what a condom was and what it was for. I’d never admit that back then but I had no clue what a condom was ha ha ha!. It was during group discussion where we recieved shirts that said “Be A Man, Be Responsible”, I still have my shirt. And that was just one of the many paramount life lessons that I learned. Dep and the teammates were there every Saturday bright and early, feeding us and grooming us to become upstanding young black men in our community, and stand out in a postive way, and To reverse the stereotype that plagued our community for so many years previously. It was on Saturdays where I learned how to respectfully interact with teachers and my elders, it was on Saturdays that I learned the proper way to conduct myself in dealing with Law enforcement. It was on Saturdays that I learned the value of hard work and discipline and the good things that could happen when I applied what the teammates were teaching me. And it was on Saturdays that I learned how a real man carries himself. Deputy Northcross is a person we all aspire to be like. A man responsible for many of our successes. In the 15 years that I have known Dep, not once have I known him to not keep his word, to not be there for his boys or to not help anyway he could. I’ll never forget the time I was riding with dep and he said to me in depts voice, “You may not have a penny in ya pocket but you gon always have ya word, thats one thing they can never take away from you”. I never forgot that, and I never stopped living by it since. Dep has always been there for me, no matter what the issue is. Whether it be problems in a class, with family, or problems on the basketball court. Me and dep had many 3-point shooting contest, I wont say who won MOST of them ha ha ha! And just like with Brian, dep flew all the way to Los Angeles to be there for my college graduation. The OK Program is a program that is worth being apart of and representing.
I know live in Los Angeles as a profressional model and actor and I told dep last week when he came down to visit that I want to see the program go nationwide. Every city in America has a need for it. And as a model/Actor and a PROUD alumni, whenever I’m on TV or in any kind of national advertisment, somehow someway the world is going to know that I represent the OK Program.
Troy Hall
Model/Actor
Represented by:
CESD LA
Brand Models in Orange County
Greeting! My name is Brian Miller and I am a PROUD alumni of the OK Program Cordova Chapter – Rancho Cordova, California (1995)! THis program provided me with my first trip to an amusement park, camping trips and sporting events. At that time all the teammates were police officers so this was my first positive encounter with a police officer. Although we made SEVERAL attempts to humiliate and frustrate the officers……20 years later…they are still active in our lives!!! Our community went from DAILY gang fights to rarely if EVER hearing about two black boys fighting each other on Cordova’s campus!!! The leadership, unconditional Love and Persistence of Deputy Northcross (Dep)and the other OK Officers are literally changing lives!They NEVER quit!! I went to court for strong arm robbery, Dep was there, sent to the office, dep was there, need advice on life, Dep was there, I actually called him THREE DAYS before I graduated with my BS in West Virginia, yes across the county, guess what, Dep was there. AND this is what OK officers and teammates are doing around the country, Now thats no child left behind!!!We NEED this program in EVERY Black Community!
Brian Miller
Dean Of Student Affairs