John Costello
Profile: Genice Mace-Overton
The best thing about making a fortune, money manager George Weiss says, is being able to give a fortune away — not only to his Say Yes classes that have burgeoned through the Northeast, but to his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania; to foster children in New York; to Ethiopian refugees in Israel.
As his prosperity and his philanthropy have increased, so have the banquet invitations. For Weiss, they’ve become an opportunity to escort, and show off, some of his Belmont proteges.
Genice Mace-Overton has accompanied him, though it has tested her sense of humor.
“I always joke with George that he invites me to functions so he can introduce me as an example of what a Say Yes student shouldn’t be,” she said, recalling a gala in New York at which he asked her to stand to be recognized.
“He told them that he paid for me to go to automotive school and I can’t even drive. At least he asked me ahead of time if I minded. I said, hey, I’m willing to take one for the team, but he has to find new material.”
At 32, Mace-Overton has two trade-school certificates but not a bachelor’s degree or an associate’s degree, although she spent time and Weiss’ money pursuing them. Still, if one of Say Yes’ elemental goals for the Belmont 112 was to open a door to middle-class possibilities, Mace-Overton has stepped through.
She is married to an electrician, living in Overbrook, mothering a five-year-old son, and nurturing a nascent career as a scriptwriter, in the horror/fantasy genre. One titled Dire Wolf — a Sixth Sense-ish tale about a wolf that roams the dreams of a dead boy — fetched $22,250 from an independent film company headed by producer Kurt Vanzo.
Writing for the screen, Mace-Overton says, is her calling. It is not, however, the calling that her Jehovah’s Witness family had in mind for her when she was a sixth grader.
Mace-Overton recalls little of the June day in 1987 when Say Yes’ offer was made from the Belmont Elementary stage. She remembers only that the auditorium was sweltering and that she “wasn’t excited” by the prospect of a free college education.
Neither were her mother, stepfather and siblings. They believed that a better life was coming and that God, not George Weiss, would provide it. As Jehovah's Witnesses, they believed in education, but education centered on Bible reading and aimed at spreading the faith.
When one of her young sisters had a baby, she was expected to help out at home rather than go to school.
For the first four years, she did not take advantage of the programs Say Yes offered, but despite her indifference, the staff kept after her until she finally started tuning in during 10th grade. That year, she went along on a field trip to Weiss’ home in Connecticut. It was the first time she had been outside Pennsylvania.
Suddenly she was anxious to continue her education after graduation from Bartram Human Services High School in 1993. But to what end, she hadn’t a clue.
At first, she wanted to attend the Restaurant School in San Francisco, but her family forbade her to go away. Instead, she went to the Restaurant School in Philadelphia to study culinary arts. Then she went to La Salle University to major in geology. Then she went to Community College of Philadelphia for automotive repair.
“I went through this period when I thought, oh my God, I felt like a failure,” she said. “I did all this stuff and I don’t have a degree.”
Mace-Overton has gotten over it. “Now I don’t feel like I failed or that the program failed,” she said.
“I took advantage of the opportunity by at least trying. Some children didn’t try, some didn’t finish high school at all, others didn’t go to any type of vocational school or college. They didn’t give themselves a chance to take advantage of anything. At least I did — several times.”
Of her odyssey, she said, “Some people have to take the long way around. I finally found what I want to do and what I’m meant to do.”
That only happened little more than a year ago, and with the encouragement of Diane Weiss. Although divorced from George and living in Florida, she has remained in touch with several of the young women from the class. She urged Mace-Overton to plug away at her first script and recommended agents.
She already has three in her portfolio — The Jewel of Jaiyan and The Sleep In Between, along with Dire Wolf.
Mace-Overton can’t imagine needing more of George Weiss’ help than she already has gotten. Still… .
“When I think about George,” she said, “I think about him as an uncle who would show up with an armful of gifts, that you don’t see that often but you always knew that he cared, and you could always call him if you needed something.”
For more articles, a slideshow, and student profiles, go to http://go.philly.com/belmont112.
As his prosperity and his philanthropy have increased, so have the banquet invitations. For Weiss, they’ve become an opportunity to escort, and show off, some of his Belmont proteges.
Genice Mace-Overton has accompanied him, though it has tested her sense of humor.
“I always joke with George that he invites me to functions so he can introduce me as an example of what a Say Yes student shouldn’t be,” she said, recalling a gala in New York at which he asked her to stand to be recognized.
“He told them that he paid for me to go to automotive school and I can’t even drive. At least he asked me ahead of time if I minded. I said, hey, I’m willing to take one for the team, but he has to find new material.”
At 32, Mace-Overton has two trade-school certificates but not a bachelor’s degree or an associate’s degree, although she spent time and Weiss’ money pursuing them. Still, if one of Say Yes’ elemental goals for the Belmont 112 was to open a door to middle-class possibilities, Mace-Overton has stepped through.
She is married to an electrician, living in Overbrook, mothering a five-year-old son, and nurturing a nascent career as a scriptwriter, in the horror/fantasy genre. One titled Dire Wolf — a Sixth Sense-ish tale about a wolf that roams the dreams of a dead boy — fetched $22,250 from an independent film company headed by producer Kurt Vanzo.
Writing for the screen, Mace-Overton says, is her calling. It is not, however, the calling that her Jehovah’s Witness family had in mind for her when she was a sixth grader.
Mace-Overton recalls little of the June day in 1987 when Say Yes’ offer was made from the Belmont Elementary stage. She remembers only that the auditorium was sweltering and that she “wasn’t excited” by the prospect of a free college education.
Neither were her mother, stepfather and siblings. They believed that a better life was coming and that God, not George Weiss, would provide it. As Jehovah's Witnesses, they believed in education, but education centered on Bible reading and aimed at spreading the faith.
When one of her young sisters had a baby, she was expected to help out at home rather than go to school.
For the first four years, she did not take advantage of the programs Say Yes offered, but despite her indifference, the staff kept after her until she finally started tuning in during 10th grade. That year, she went along on a field trip to Weiss’ home in Connecticut. It was the first time she had been outside Pennsylvania.
Suddenly she was anxious to continue her education after graduation from Bartram Human Services High School in 1993. But to what end, she hadn’t a clue.
At first, she wanted to attend the Restaurant School in San Francisco, but her family forbade her to go away. Instead, she went to the Restaurant School in Philadelphia to study culinary arts. Then she went to La Salle University to major in geology. Then she went to Community College of Philadelphia for automotive repair.
“I went through this period when I thought, oh my God, I felt like a failure,” she said. “I did all this stuff and I don’t have a degree.”
Mace-Overton has gotten over it. “Now I don’t feel like I failed or that the program failed,” she said.
“I took advantage of the opportunity by at least trying. Some children didn’t try, some didn’t finish high school at all, others didn’t go to any type of vocational school or college. They didn’t give themselves a chance to take advantage of anything. At least I did — several times.”
Of her odyssey, she said, “Some people have to take the long way around. I finally found what I want to do and what I’m meant to do.”
That only happened little more than a year ago, and with the encouragement of Diane Weiss. Although divorced from George and living in Florida, she has remained in touch with several of the young women from the class. She urged Mace-Overton to plug away at her first script and recommended agents.
She already has three in her portfolio — The Jewel of Jaiyan and The Sleep In Between, along with Dire Wolf.
Mace-Overton can’t imagine needing more of George Weiss’ help than she already has gotten. Still… .
“When I think about George,” she said, “I think about him as an uncle who would show up with an armful of gifts, that you don’t see that often but you always knew that he cared, and you could always call him if you needed something.”
For more articles, a slideshow, and student profiles, go to http://go.philly.com/belmont112.
