Alfreda Harris

Alfreda Harris

Long-serving Boston school committee member Alfreda Harris was recently honored by the Basketball Hall of Fame as one of its winners of the 2010 Mannie Jackson — Basketball’s Human Spirit Award.

The award is presented to individuals who have honored the game of basketball by virtue of their personal growth and life-long accomplishments. Also receiving the award are Sacramento Kings center Samuel Dalembert and Hall of Fame Coach Jim Boeheim of Syracuse University.

Harris founded the SAT Preparation Program serving high school students in Boston while also founding and coordinating girls’ basketball leagues and Amateur Athletic Union teams for the city.

Harris also founded the Owen Wells Fitness Center and the Reebok Educational Athletic Partnership that provides students with community programs in social development, computer skills and tutoring.

Mayor Thomas Menino was among those to congratulate Harris. “I trust Alfreda Harris,” Menino said. “Her good sense, her judgment, her straight talk, her values. In everything she does, I know that her top priority is and always has been in the best interest of kids. There are many who claim to make a difference; Alfreda Harris is among the few who actually do. She is the real deal.”