Warren resident Jason Gordon, who graduated from Warren Mott High School in 2002, was the inaugural recipient of the Sam Cupp Alumni Community Service award. He also recently received the Building Owner’s and Manager’s Association (BOMA) Emerging Leader award. Gordon, left, is pictured with former Detroit Mayor Dave Bing.
WARREN — While attending Warren Mott High School, Jason Gordon was placed into a curriculum-based class called Winning Futures.
Founded in 1994 by the late local entrepreneur Sam Cupp, Winning Futures is a Warren-based nonprofit organization that inspires and prepares youth for success. Trained mentors visit the students once a week at their schools to work on life skills, goal setting and teamwork activities.
When in the program, Gordon paid close attention to his mentor and learned as much as he could. One important lesson was understanding how to set and achieve specific goals.
Because the program gave him so much, Gordon paid it forward about two years ago when he became a Winning Futures mentor. The 2002 Warren Mott High School graduate was recently named the inaugural recipient of the Sam Cupp Alumni Community Service award.
“When I got it, it was a surprise,” Gordon said. “It’s a huge honor.”
The award recognizes a Winning Futures alumnus who has made a great impact in the community while achieving his or her personal goals.
“Jason’s commitment to helping young men and women establish a goal-oriented mindset, while maintaining that same level of desire in his own professional life, is a positive reflection of his character and a symbol of his willingness to serve the community,” Catherine King, AlliedBarton senior vice president, client experience, said in a prepared statement. “This award acknowledges his eagerness to share the values of hard work, and we’re honored that Winning Futures has selected Jason for this award.”
Gordon, of Warren, is now a business development manager with AlliedBarton Security Services, and manages all of Michigan and northern Ohio. He started with the company 10 years ago as a security officer. He worked his way up through the company by setting goals — a skill he learned while in Winning Futures.
Winning Futures serves teenage students in Warren, Sterling Heights, Madison Heights, Detroit, Harper Woods and Pontiac. Mentors meet with students once a week for one hour. There’s a three-student-per-one mentor ratio.
Gordon — who holds a criminal justice degree from Macomb Community College — is currently mentoring two students, where he offers advice and shares with them his own life experiences.
“They’re developing their own character values and relationship goals,” Gordon said. “When setting goals, it’s about setting a very specific timeline. Make sure your goals align with your character values and performance values.”
Mentoring has proved very rewarding for Gordon, especially when his students have what he calls “an a-ha moment” when they truly understand something.
“I really enjoy building relationships with them. You’re donating your time,” he said. “I know what an impact (Winning Futures) made on me as a student.”
Gordon remembers Cupp visiting a class when he was a student. Warren Mott is part of Warren Consolidated Schools.
“He was powerful. When he spoke he was very influential and very inspiring,” Gordon said. “When he spoke of the Winning Futures program he was very, very passionate about it.”
In addition to the Sam Cupp Award, Gordon was the recipient of the Building Owner’s and Manager’s Association Emerging Leader award in November 2014. The honor is given to a BOMA member who exemplifies outstanding leadership while going beyond the expected standards of service and professionalism.
Gordon married his high school sweetheart Christina (Holtz) Gordon. The couple has two children and a baby on the way.
For more information on Winning Futures or to become a mentor, visitwww.winningfutures.org, call (586) 294-8449 or email info@winningfutures.org.
By Maria Allard allard@candgnews.com