Catholic Memorial students attend Dana Barros basketball camp

Students from Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy’s Mattapan campus and Catholic Memorial School in West Roxbury took part this week in a basketball skills camp free of charge thanks to former Boston Celtic Dana Barros. The camp took place at Barros’ Basketball Club in Avon.

Barros attended Saint John Paul II, when it was known as Saint Agela’s, before going on to Xaverian Brothers High School and Boston College. He credits basketball and his Catholic education for helping him to rise above his impoverished childhood.

“I feel like I’ve been blessed and I want to give kids the same opportunity that I had,” Barros said. “But it is on them to succeed when these doors are opened to them.”

In addition to the clinics, Barros also started the Barros Project which is a mentoring and social program for youth that provides educational support and opportunities to underprivileged kids seeking to further their education though basketball.