Mission:
The primary mission of Team Hardnotts is to demonstrate through personal experience that it is possible to achieve positive goals in life when evolving out of a negative environment
Mentor teaches kids to shoot with cameras, not guns
Daytona Beach News-Journal
Duane C. Fernandez Sr. focuses on the images on his camera, reflections of realities standing before him with youthful smiles.
Fernandez is trying to make sure that the smiles remain and the kids develop into productive, happy adults.
Hardnotts founder recognized as "Hometown Hero"
Daytona Times
Thousands also turned out for a festival last Saturday at Cypress Street Park where dozens of vendors provided information about their organizations and others sold all kinds of food to the masses.
The Hometown Heroes recognized at the banquet included Lillie Bell Beckton, Duane Fernandez...
Survivors of the Wreckage
Hartford Courant
Muffin (Duane Fernandez) prides himself on the fact that he doesn't drink or smoke and has never touched drugs. He has a remarkable memory. Has seen, heard, and understood things the average person might not witness in a lifetime. Like that first time he saw Butter in the company of the Cuban drug lord and told himself that one of the two, he didn't know who, would end up getting killed. Or that time he overheard a teacher warning a neighborhood boy he wouldn't live to see 20 and watched as the boy was buried at 18...
Return to Team Hardnotts
Hartford Courant
I had no idea what I was in for last year when I elected to write a cover story about Duane ``Muffin'' Fernandez and his nonprofit mentoring organization, Team Hardnotts University. It would be a typical human-interest piece, I'd figured: The story of community mentors reaching out to young, mostly urban young people using uncanny but effective methods of no-nonsense, in your face, scared-straight, ``you-don't-know-like-I-know'' tactics.
Photography student wins scholarship from youth awareness program
Daytona Times
The Ormond Beach Senior Games Executive Board honored Lesline Tilfert, a student at Daytona State College majoring in photography with a certificate of appreciation and a $100 scholarship following her volunteer work atthe Senior Games held inOctober... Tilfert also was awarded a matching scholarship from Team Hardnotts University Youth Awareness Program Inc. by Duane C.Fernandez Sr., founder and president...