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Teen helps younger girls with development issues

Alexis Kramer talks with Carrington Dee Thursday, Oct 29 during a Girls on the Run program inside the Middletown community center. Kramer volunteers at the center at least twice a week.

Staff photo by Gary Stelzer Alexis Kramer talks with Carrington Dee Thursday, Oct 29 during a Girls on the Run program inside the Middletown community center. Kramer volunteers at the center at least twice a week.

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By Rick McCrabb, Staff Writer 9:09 PM Sunday, November 1, 2009

Editor’s note: This is part of a regular series on women of influence in Butler County.

MIDDLETOWN — They called her nasty names in middle school.

Not because of her clothes, or her glasses, or the way she walked.

But because of the color of her parents’ skin color. Her biological mother is white, her biological father is black.

She refers to herself as bi-racial, and she’s equally proud of the ancestry on both side of her family.

That didn’t stop the names.

To hide from the racial remarks, Alexis Kramer, a 17-year-old senior at Middletown High School, built a protective shelter around herself. It was her against the others.

Those kids almost broke her spirit. Almost. Then, she said, “I grew up.”

Kramer carries a 3.8 grade point average, and twice a week — every Tuesday and Thursday night — she tutors students in an after-school program at the Middletown Community Center.

Then, from 5-7 p.m., she participants in Girls on the Run, a non-profit prevention program that encourages preteen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running. The curriculum addresses all aspects of girls’ development, from their physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual well-being.

The program offers Kramer an opportunity to give back to her community.

“She’s one of the people these girls really look up to,” said Janet Leahy, one of the group’s adult supervisors.

Kramer’s advice to the girls?

“It’s going to be OK,” she said recently while sitting in the community center. “I tell them there will be paths to take in their lives. There will be consequences at the end of each decision.

“I love working with the kids,” she said. “Even if I’ve had a terrible day, I can walk in here and they lighten my day up. They look up to me.”

That admiration isn’t cheap.

“I have to watch what I do, what I say. I have to do the ‘right something,’” she said. “I’m very proud of who I am. I love what I am and I always will be.”

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(cont) I think she is a very beautiful bright child who has a very bright future and endless opportunities...who knows maybe someday she will have your job. She comes from a set of parents that are hard working, loving and good people. Guess what Mr. McCrabb at the end of the day it's not the color of her skin, it's the intent of her heart. KUDOS to you ALEXIS for ALL you DO. Thank you for supporting your community and our future leaders of this community and this country.

SRA
9:06 PM, 11/2/2009

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With the number of underage drinking, teen sex, teen pregnancies and child abuse on the rise, I am proud to hear of a child giving back to her community. Mr. McCrabb maybe it is time you sit back and listen for a while instead of writing your nonsense. Alexis is making a CHANGE in the lives of these young children she is mentoring, a change that will affect the very community we live in. So much emphasis was put on her race. Why? What does that have to do with the price of beans?

SRA
8:57 PM, 11/2/2009

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This is a great article about a great girl who is doing something positive with her life - except for the fact that her race has to be brought into the article and highlighted. Really? What does her race have to do with the positive things she is doing with her life to help others? Disgusting!

Ramona
2:43 PM, 11/2/2009

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My understanding was that the article was to be about the volunteer program at the Middletown Community Center. Why so much focus on Alexis' race? What does that have to do with who she is, or the work that she does at the Center? When I heard that Rick McCrabb was writing the article, I knew that there would be some angle about race. Rick is the same person who referred to bi-racial children as "rainbow sherbert in a world that prefers vanilla or chocolate" in an article last year. Idiot!

Leslie
2:34 PM, 11/2/2009

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What does a teen helping other girls with development issues have to do with the color of her skin. It amazes me how someone can turn a article about community service into the color of a child skin. I truly believe you focused on her skin color because you have a evil soul filled with racism. I bet your pecker is so small when you pee, you pee on your balls..You IDIOT

Ann
2:32 PM, 11/2/2009

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