Sixth grader torching top high school talent at N.C. prep school

By Cameron Smith

He is 12, stands 5-foot-4 and weighs just 120 pounds. He looks like any other kid on a middle school bus. Still, don't let the sixth grader-next-door image fool you: Damon Harge is rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the best young high school point guards in the country.

Yes, high school. Despite his age, as highlighted by ESPN.com, Harge is competing at the high school level in North Carolina, and he's torching the opposition. A year after getting national attention for dominating any and all middle school comers -- he averaged 35 points as a fifth grader playing against student athletes three years older than himself -- Harge is now suiting up for Creedmor (N.C.) Christian Faith Center Academy, where he faces off against some of the top prep basketball programs in the county … as a sixth grader.

[ Yahoo! Year in Review: The standout news of 2011, top 10s and more ]

"I looked him up and it's hard not to be impressed watching his videos," Christian Faith Center Academy coach Kendrick Williams told ESPN.com of his first exposure to Harge. "I wasn't sure about how that would translate on the varsity level, but I was excited to find out. I just kept thinking 'he's only 12?'"

What may be most incredible about Harge's rocket ride to stardom is how seamlessly it has all come together. A year ago, Harge was still somewhat of an under-the-radar prospect, happily plying his trade on the West Coast. A year later Harge sports YouTube clips with an aggregate audience of more than 3 million views and is widely recognized as the nation's top sixth grader.

Admittedly, that's a lot of hype for any pre-teen to handle. Still, those are the kind of things that happen when a player drops 50 points at a national invitational tournament in front of former number one NBA draft pick John Wall, who immediately emerged as Harge's biggest fan and ally.

"The kid was unguardable," Wall told ESPN.com. "I knew right away he was a star. I just wanted him to continue to work hard.

"All of this is too serious for a 12-year-old kid. He should be concentrating on having fun, but, at the same time, I understand why it's happening. What's he gonna say, 'No thanks, I don't want to be ranked right now?' Plus, I'd be shocked if there's a player that's more skilled than him at his age. It's not wrong and it's not his fault. Basketball isn't the only sport that ranks kids early. It's just the day and age we live in."

Harge is already leaving his impact across a large swath of the basketball portion of that world as it is. Williams, who once coached John Wall and is well acquainted with molding young phenoms, said that the sixth grader's work ethic is what makes him stand out. The 12-year-old wakes up at 4:30 every morning and puts up an average of 6,500 shots per week. "With that high volume of shots the muscle memory is ridiculous," Williams told ESPN.

Now, as Harge continues to refine his talent against tougher opposition -- he recently took part in the ScoutsFocus Elite 80 Showcase and averaged 11 points a game against some of the nation's top Division I recruits (you can see his highlights from that event directly above) -- he also continues to sway more and more doubters, including yet another recent top NBA draft pick.

"I was very, very impressed with Damon," new Cleveland Cavalier Kyrie Irving told ESPN.com. "He really reminds me of me back in the day, but he's just more skilled than I was back then. The talent and potential is undeniably there. He was crossing up varsity guys like they were the young guys. He's the real deal and he seems really focused."

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The Expendables 2 (2012)

Release 17 August 2012 (USA)

Mr. Church reunites the Expendables for what should be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat.


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Real Money Tree (19 photos)

Real Money Tree (19 photos)

Contrary to popular belief, money does not grow on trees across England from time to time you can find trees whose trunks thickly bristling bent coins. The origin of the tradition is unclear. According to one version, such coins bring luck and their wishes, and on the other - promise many children, the amount of which depends on the number of coins stuck.

Avoid Using these 10 Rords in Resume

by Lindsay Olson

Creative. Effective. Motivated. While you may think that you're using words on your resume that will appeal to hiring managers, some words can actually turn them off. On Tuesday, LinkedIn released the top 10 words that job seekers overuse in resumes and job applications. Here's the list:

-- Creative

-- Organizational

-- Effective

-- Extensive experience

-- Track record

-- Motivated

-- Innovative

-- Problem solving

-- Communication skills

-- Dynamic

If you're wondering how LinkedIn came up with this list, its data scientists examined millions of profiles to find out which words professionals used the most in 2011. Surprisingly, some of the words are different from what LinkedIn found to be the bad buzzwords in 2010, thanks to the skyrocketing growth of the professional networking site. A year ago, there were 85 million users. Now, there are 135 million users from around the world, so naturally that list of buzzwords has changed.

What's interesting is that the buzzwords vary, depending on the country. The word "creative" was overused in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. "Effective" was used by too many job hunters in India. And Italians, it seems, are fantastic at "problem solving."

If I'm Not Creative ... What Am I?

I hope seeing this list doesn't kill your holiday buzz. If you're using these words as a selling point to potential employers, spend some time this month finding better, more descriptive words that pinpoint your talents.

[See 8 Reasons to Continue Your Holiday Job Search.]

"Competition for opportunities can be fierce, so craft your LinkedIn profile and resume to stand out from the professional pack," says Nicole Williams, LinkedIn's connection director and best-selling author of the book, "Girl on Top." "Even though this year's list of overused terms differs from last year's, your objectives remain the same: Banish buzzwords from your profile. Use language that illustrates your unique professional accomplishments and experiences. Give concrete examples of results you've achieved whenever possible and reference attributes that are specific to you."

LinkedIn recommends adding skills to your profile, which can serve to show hiring managers firsthand where your strengths lie. Recommendations, too, can help beef up your online profile.

LinkedIn also suggests filling out your LinkedIn profile fully. They say your profile is 12 times more likely to be viewed if you have more than one position listed in your work history. Adding a nice photo of yourself increases viewability as well.

What About My Resume?

Now that you know the words that employers are sick of seeing in resumes and cover letters, you can avoid them. If you're stuck for ideas, here is a list of action verbs, and an online thesaurus can always give you alternatives to the words you don't want to use.

It's your job as a talented job candidate to stand out with your resume and cover letter. Take time to rewrite it, and have a friend review it to give feedback on how appealing and engaging it is. Always customize both your resume and your cover letter for the job you're applying for.

Lindsay Olson is a founding partner and public relations recruiter with Paradigm Staffing and Hoojobs, a niche job board for public relations, communications and social media jobs. She blogs at LindsayOlson.com, where she discusses recruiting and job search issues.