On October 2, 2023, Spectrum News 1 aired a story by reporter Katie Kapusta, featuring an innovative partnership between Learn to Earn Dayton and Dayton6th to "use NIL for good."
The segment showcases University of Dayton basketball stars DaRon Holmes and Destiny Bohanon on location at DECA Middle School, recording video and photography for the regional attendance campaign -- EVERY DAY MATTERS.
Attendance is a critical issue in Montgomery County and across the nation. Dave Taylor, superintendent of the Dayton Early College Academy is featured in the story saying, “The number of kids missing 10 school days, 15 school days, 20 school days a year go up astronomically. And there’s a ton of data that tells us that when kids don’t come to school, they don’t perform well academically and those issues compound on each other year after year after year.”
It's a meaningful way for these athletes to use their recognition for good, and both Destiny and DaRon shared that they hope the campaign will make a difference for students.
“It helps kids understand that in order to get to certain points where they want to get to you have to do certain things," Holmes said. "And that’s going to school, so attendance has to be something that’s required.”
“For NIL it’s bigger than the materialistic things, the money, or any of that," Bohanon said. "It’s really about getting to influence the kids, getting to influence your community, your support system.”