Lavar Drummond hopes children will learn through his book and experiences, the key takeaways he learned as an OCC student — believe in yourself and think optimistically. The author, licensed counselor and educator crafted "Affirmation Heroes," a story of one boy’s journey meeting magical characters who help him achieve anything he puts his mind to. The message Drummond wants to convey is children can use affirmations to manifest anything they want in life.
“I wanted to write a book for kids that they could enjoy reading with their families
and also motivate families to read to their children,” he said. “I also wanted a book
that is beneficial for children’s mental health. Simply having an optimistic mindset
and believing in yourself has been beneficial to some of my clients.”
Drummond graduated from OCC with an associate degree in general studies in 2011. The
single dad took classes at several of OCC’s campuses but primarily at Orchard Ridge,
where he was active in the Phi Theta Kappa chapter and worked as a student assistant
at the Student Engagement Center.
“The Student Engagement Center was like a fishbowl located in the middle of the building,”
he recalled. “Students would walk by to see who was in there and come in to ask questions.
It was the first time I thought about being a counselor because students would ask
random questions and, a lot of the time, I would have the answer or know how to get
it.”
Not only did Drummond become a Limited License Professional Counselor (LLPC), he also
earned a liberal arts degree from Ferris State University, a bachelor’s degree in
communication from Oakland University, and a master’s degree in college counseling
from Eastern Michigan University. He is currently working on an educational specialist
certificate at Wayne State University.
Along the way, Drummond worked in K-12 and as an instructor at Henry Ford College.
He now is principal at Old Redford Academy Middle School in Detroit.
“I failed academically my first time in college,” he said. “At OCC I was fortunate
to come across instructors who were personable and motivated me. They made me feel
like I could do big things. The aura there (OCC) pushed me to be better and further
built my confidence.”
Drummond worked alongside OCC Dean of Student Services Jahquan Hawkins as his student
assistant in the Student Engagement office. As a non-traditional student, Hawkins
said Drummond brought a different perspective to the work they were engaged in.
“He was creative, energetic and connected well with his peers,” Hawkins said. “He
and I have stayed in touch via social media, and it’s been exciting to see his growth
and development over the years. It is no surprise to me that Lavar continues to make
a positive impact in the lives of others since graduating from OCC.”
Drummond came to Michigan from Jamaica in the early 1990s. He now lives in Taylor and has a 16-year-old daughter and two 5-month-old sons. Learn more about Drummond in this Channel 7 story (click arrow on book cover to view video). His book can be found at www.affirmationheroes.com.
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About OCC
Offering nearly 100 degrees and certificates, OCC is Michigan’s largest multi-campus
community college and No. 1 transfer institution in the state. The College provides
academic, career training and enriching experiences, designed to empower students
to reach their potential and enhance our community. More than 1 million students have
enrolled in the College since it opened in 1965. A seven-person Board of Trustees
governs OCC. Board members are elected on a non-partisan, at-large basis, serve as
volunteers and are not paid. Mission statement: OCC is committed to empowering our
students to succeed and advancing our community. Learn more at oaklandcc.edu.
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