If anyone should be nominated for a Coach of the Year Award, it should definitely be Nekia “Nikki” Wise. She has been my dance coach for eight years now! For the past four years she has been the coach of the 2009 “Step It Up Competition” grand prize winners Fully Focused. She focuses on teaching young girls from the inner city communities of Brooklyn not only about dance but very important life issues such as knowing our self worth, boosting our self esteem, women empowerment, and definitely getting an adequate education. She is currently a public school teacher, holds a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education, has a one year old daughter and still has time for Fully Focused. She lets us know that she comes from the same place as us and had the same disadvantages but at the same time it doesn’t define who we are nor limit what we can become. When I met Nikki I was on the road to destruction. I was using drugs, skipping school every other day, getting into fights and hanging out with the wrong crowd just because I didn’t have a decent role model. After being under Nikki’s wing for ten years my life has drastically changed. I graduated from high school one year early and then went on to graduate from Baruch College with a BBA in Finance & Investments and I’m currently an Accountant. Wow! I was very insecure about my weight and therefore was uncomfortable dancing and now she has given young girls including myself the opportunity and courage to dance on television and many great stages including the Apollo, Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, and so many others. Each and every year she throws her dancers a recital in which she gives away awards, trophies, certificates and medals to showcase everyone’s accomplishments for the year. She doesn’t get paid a single dime to be our coach and that’s one thing that lets me know that she is truly genuine and passionate about all that she does for us. In my eyes she is most definitely Coach of the Year!