Members of the Bound to Excel Mentoring program have been proactively working with local area youths since the programs creation in 2013. The four members of the program, Elmer Lowry, Roy Lowry, Jody Matheny and Andre Hollis, take great pride in offering their time and guidance to boys and young men from local area schools and view the work they do as a higher calling to help as many kids as possible.
The members of Bound to Excel think of one another as brothers all with the same goal and using their unique attributes to strive for the well-being of kids throughout Scott County. They believe that it truly takes a village to raise a child and they have stepped-up to become a vital part in that upbringing process. Many Scott County children are just looking for someone to be there when they need them.
BTEM currently works directly with the Scott County School District to visit two of the district schools each week and spend time with the kids. The group visits Morton Elementary School, Betty Mae Jack Middle School and Morton High School every Tuesday to offer their time and help with the students at each of these schools. On Wednesday the group travels to Scott Central Attendance Center and spends time with students identified by the administration and teachers as needing a possible mentor or just someone spend time with.
The partnership with SCSD has been an amazing partnership that has opened many doors and created so many opportunities for the mentors to become positive parts of local children’s lives. Each member of the group had high praise for Scott County School District Superintendent Dr. Tony McGee for giving them the opportunity to serve the children of the school district.
“Dr, McGee has been absolutely amazing and supportive,” said Andre Hollis. “He has truly opened the doors at the schools and invited us in to help these young men and I cannot thank him enough for the access and opportunities he has given us.”
BTEM currently mentors approximately 120 young men from throughout Scott County. They make themselves available anytime they are needed and they are there to help with any problem that may arise or to simply offer sound advice on situations that may arise. Elmer Lowry said, “we will never try to replace their father but will always be there to help when they need us and remain a positive part of their life.”
Brothers Elmer and Roy Lowry took the initiative to get the ball rolling in forming the Bound to Excel Mentoring group in 2013. “My brother and I are both retired and in 2013 we heard about a free mentoring class that was looking for people to help students and after attending the class it really motivated us to use our time to give back to the youth of Scott County,” Said Elmer Lowry. “We always had a positive male influence in our household and we wanted to become positive influences for kids that did not have a positive male role model in their life.”
At the same time Andre Hollis and former BTEM mentor, Henry Minor, were already involved in mentoring youths in Scott County. “Before Bound to Excel we used to do mentoring after school and on the weekends but it was mostly in our extra time,” said Hollis. All that changed when the Lowry brothers reached out to Hollis and Minor to get their input on starting their new mentoring group. “When we got started we knew Andre Hollis was involved with local youth mentoring and we contacted him for a little help and after we talked he and Henry Minor offered to join us and work to get out group up and running,” remembers Elmer Lowry. Hollis added, “When we joined together and began working with the school district so many things opened up and everything has worked out great.”
The rest is history and a great benefit for the children of Scott County as these four men have become important in so many lives. Roy Lowry believes the Lord had his hands on bringing all of these positive role models together and helped them focus on the common goal of serving the youth of Scott County. “The lord brought us all together to do what we can to help them while accepting each and every one of them just as they are,” said Roy Lowry.
Jody Matheny feels very blessed to be able to give back to the very community where he was raised. “I graduated from Scott Central so being able to give back to the community that helped raised me is very fulfilling,” said Matheny.
All four mentors wanted to inform everyone in the community that it is not just troubled young men that need mentorship or a positive male figure in their life. Even children that appear to be on the right path can use help from time-to-time. “Everyone can use a mentor and everyone can use help because every successful person has had help along the way,” said Hollis. Even when things are going well a positive influence can be a wonderful sounding board for advice with any situation life may throw at them.
Bound to Excel is completely funded by monetary donations, donations of time and donations of resources that the group can utilize to help the kids of Scott County. If you are interested in donating funds, your time or usable resources contact Andre Hollis at 601-942-8409
One thing that is certain, the people of Scott County, and the children that have crossed paths with these four giving souls are blessed that they call our local area home, and that they are all driven to take the time and give back to the community.
