BALTIMORE — Young participants at the Choo Smith Youth Empowerment camp have spent the last five weeks learning more than just basketball fundamentals.
WATCH: Choo Smith camp empowers Baltimore youth through basketball and life skills
The program, founded by Baltimore native and former Harlem Globetrotter Choo Smith, combines athletic training with lessons in civic engagement, financial literacy, fine arts, and mentorship.
"Using basketball as a tool to bring them in and then utilizing all the different life resources and helping them elevate to them," said Smith.
The camp's mission extends beyond sports, aiming to shape the futures of Baltimore youth.
"Other basketball camps, I would say it's strictly basketball; we do a lot of learning here about, like, being a community and how we can help Baltimore be a better place, so I really enjoy it for those reasons," said Briar Rose Moore, a camp participant.
Smith created the camp 20 years ago with the goal of uplifting young people from his hometown.
"I was able to achieve some things to come back to give it so these kids can do better than me," said Smith.
He notes that the program's growth has allowed him to achieve his original vision and more, with the five-week experience transforming young players' lives.
"Young people talking about stocks. They talk about bonds. They talking about shares and things of that and to see them from week one bored, not wanting to listen now they up and they're vibrant, and they're thriving like on a whole another level," said Smith.
Fifteen-year-old Briar Rose Moore is attending the camp for her second year. She reports improvements in her basketball skills and a clearer vision for her future both on and off the court.
"I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do. But being here, I know that I could pursue more things, like in relation to finance or accounting or anything I wanna do, while still enjoying what I do and playing basketball," said Moore.
The camp concludes Friday with its first-ever trip to Hershey Park. Looking ahead, Smith is developing a community center that will continue supporting Baltimore's youth for years to come.
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