11/19/2024

Community Support: A Valuable Resource for Schools

“I think this is something that we can agree on—that our kids deserve a chance to succeed and we can be a part of the solution,” educational advocate David Wyatt says about his commitment to driving educational change through his work with the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame (SCFHOF). 

Wyatt’s work shows just how impactful community support can be when it comes to improving student success. A seasoned attorney, advisor, and community leader, Wyatt joined All For Literacy host Dr. Liz Brooke for Season 3, Episode 5, recorded during The Reading League 2024 conference. Wyatt and Brooke talked about empowering youth, making learning cool, and how educators can partner with the community to make change happen in their classrooms and districts. 

What is the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame

The SCFHOF celebrates athletes, coaches, businesses, and media professionals from South Carolina who have made a significant and positive impact on their communities through football. The organization honors South Carolina legends and employs stories of success to educate, empower, and encourage students in their community. 

Wyatt realized “there was a really big disconnect in South Carolina with how our students were being prepared,” and subsequently founded the SCFHOF to use the powerful influence of sports to increase educational excellence and career readiness among kids. “We're trying to help you—the academics, the educators—with what you're doing [by using] football, which has the ability to sort of cut through the noise and get people's attention,” he says.

How the SCFHOF Supports Education

The main way the SCFHOF supports student success is through its Bridge Builder Excellence Program that seeks to educate, empower, and encourage students to be successful in their college, career, and life endeavors. “When we were growing up, having good grades wasn't cool. What we're trying to do is make it cool today,” Wyatt says about the program. 

Wyatt calls the program the “High School Heisman”—referencing the award that honors top collegiate football players. The Bridge Builder Excellence Award Program highlights students in the state who balance great football performance with great academics. Students are nominated from any of the schools in the state with football programs. The program’s holistic evaluation criteria includes grade-point average; character, leadership, and dedication to their community; and their athletics performance. 

With South Carolina currently ranked 43rd in the nation for college, career, and life readiness, leaders with the SCFHOF have made a commitment to moving the state into the top 10 by 2030. The Bridge Builder Excellence Program supports this initiative by encouraging students to strive for more in the classroom and out. “We're celebrating, recognizing, and encouraging excellence,” Wyatt says. Each nominee is honored by the organization with an award and an excellent new addition to their resume as they head into college recruiting, applications, or their future careers. 

Community Support Drives Change

Wyatt’s work with the SCFHOF shows how community support can be a valuable asset when it comes to driving educational change. Its initiatives use sports—an important pastime and interest in the state—to effectively motivate students to move South Carolina toward greater student success and readiness. 

During All For Literacy, Season 3, Episode 5, Wyatt provides listeners with a masterclass about using community resources to support students. Listen now for an outside-of-the-box strategy for changing educational trajectory at the classroom and state levels.