Syndicated cartoonist visits local students
By Thurman A. Martin, III
For Focus Newspaper

Rob Armstrong of “Jump Start” comic strip fame visited Roberto Clemente Middle School in North Philadelphia to motivate students.

Principal Patricia Mazzuca called him “a wonderful cartoonist who lives very near us” during the special assembly program held in the school’s auditorium on Tuesday, February 26^th.

Armstrong gave his oration in a mixed format, giving talk between some comic drawings… and comic dialogue about growing up and becoming a professional cartoonist.

Students, marveled at “how fast he’s drawing,” greatly appreciated the visit, as evident in their enthusiasm and response to Armstrong’s oration. Armstrong related being a student to his job as a cartoonist.

“Being a student is like being a cartoonist,” he told students.

“To do well in school you have to pay attention to what happens in real life.”

Armstrong said he based his characters in the comic strip “Jump Start” on real life people he knows. His characters’ funny stories develop from real life happenings, he said.

Other messages Armstrong sent out to students on Tuesday were that they shouldn’t “think low thoughts” of themselves, but to “think high thoughts” of themselves.

“My mother was building my self-esteem,” he said of his inspiration to become a cartoonist.

He also called cartooning one thing that kept him from the streets.

“You only one thing to keep you out of trouble,” he said.

“Don’t do anything dumb! Life is too short!”

Armstrong further encouraged students to develop a mind of their own and not to experiment with drugs.

“Make up your mind, or someone will come along and make it up for you,” he warned the students ranging in age from 9 to 14.

“Don’t experiment! Drugs don’t do anything for you!”

Armstrong first sketched his famous “Jump Street” characters Joe, Marcie, Sunny, and Jojo (the Cobb Family).

Later he sketched a caricature of Clemente student “Michael” who was somewhat hesitant to “pose.”

Unlike other visits to schools, Armstrong performed for Clemente students for free, but neither he nor his manager Mark Miller expressed no quips about it.

“I love you guys,” Armstrong told students.

“And I’m here because of that!”

The youngest of five children raised by a single mother, Armstrong was born and raised in West Philadelphia, graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor's degree in fine arts and began his career in advertising.

Armstrong lives near Philadelphia with his wife Sherry, daughter Tess, and son Rex - the biggest inspirations for Jump Start's characters and stories. In his leisure time, Armstrong enjoys golf and hanging around with his family.