If the Blue Blazers are the future of Scotland County, this region is in good hands.
Carver Middle School’s mentorship club for boys, which was featured in Saturday’s edition of the Laurinburg Exchange, gives students opportunities to learn skills that their peers may not be exposed too until later in life. Those who earn a spot in the exclusive club learn how to interact professionally with adults, how to make a good first impression and how to be good stewards of their community, among many other things.
Those are skills that can’t be learned by reading a textbook, listening to a lecture or scrolling through a computer.
Operated by James McLean, who serves as Carver’s football coach and dean of students, along with several mentors in the community, the club selectively takes in sixth graders and puts them on a path of personal development that includes countless community service projects and hours of behavioral instruction. Members who stay out of trouble and adhere to the club’s strict guidelines typically earn the right to wear the signature Blue Blazer jacket and bowtie by the time they reach the eighth grade.
The only way new members can be considered for admission is if a current member vouches for them. If a Blue Blazers member disobeys the club’s policies at any time, they are subject to disciplinary action along with the person who recommended them. Because of that, the Blue Blazers learn about accountability and trust. No one wants to be the person that lets their friend down, especially if it means that both individuals could face consequences.
The Blue Blazers have many opportunities to help out in the community. While many of their classmates are out having fun, the Blue Blazers venture throughout Scotland County and put their energy into helping different causes, whether it’s cleaning up a yard, helping with storm recovery efforts or facilitating a fundraiser.
One of the most influential parts of those opportunities is the chances the Blue Blazers have to interact with individuals throughout the community. McLean said the service projects are designed to put the Blue Blazers in situations where they must make eye-to-eye contact and speak directly to the people they are working with or helping.
Those who interact with the Blue Blazers can see how much they’ve benefited from those experiences. The members I talked to were were courteous and respectful. They spoke calmly and clearly, and they displayed maturity that I would expect out of high school upperclassmen, not eighth graders.
The skills and virtues that students learn as Blue Blazers translate into every aspect of life. They translate into the realm of sports, where accountability is key and teamwork is essential. Many high school and college coaches spend time hours trying to teach their athletes those concepts. Those skills are also useful in the business world, where challenges of all kinds are dealt with on a daily basis.
Perhaps the most important skill the Blue Blazers learn is leadership. As a football coach, McLean knows how important that skill is in athletics. But if the Blue Blazers continue to develop as leaders as they progress through life, they’ll have opportunities to become leaders on local and national levels.
Knowing that future generations of leaders are being given such a rewarding head start is something residents of Scotland County can take pride in.
