At East Laurens High School, instructor Will Smith is proving that mentorship is the ultimate catalyst for change. In 2019, Smith founded Growing Young Men to bridge a gap he noticed in traditional education: character development.
"I looked at these young men and saw untapped potential that just needed direction," Smith said. "I realized that if we don't give them a map for their character, they'll get lost no matter how smart they are."
Inspired by A
Purpose Driven Life and a career spanning juvenile probation and teen
court, Smith recognized that many youth lacked a foundation in personal
integrity. He pitched his vision to the school board, starting with just 25
students. Today, the program has served 267 participants, guided by Smith's
thirty years of experience in youth advocacy.
The program
centers on nine essential character traits mastered over four years. Students
meet with Smith each semester to evaluate their progress, maintain academic
standing, and ensure consistent attendance. The culmination of this journey is
celebrated at the Dublin Country Club, where graduates are presented with a
distinctive black blazer at the annual GYM Jacket Induction Ceremony.
"That blazer
isn't just fabric. It's a shield," Smith says. "When they put it on, they are
telling the world—and themselves—that they are men of integrity who are ready
to serve."
This public
recognition, funded by local sponsors, reinforces the bond between the students
and a community that actively invests in their success.
Perhaps the most remarkable achievement:
Growing Young Men boasts a 100 percent graduation rate. Of the 267
participants, 101 have graduated, while 166 remain in the program. Each
graduate has walked across the stage on time, equipped with the confidence and
skills to pursue their goals.
Program alumni have taken many paths —
roughly 15 have joined the U.S. military, more than 20 have gone to college,
and several have earned athletic scholarships or entered skilled trades. One
graduate now serves as a Georgia State Trooper, while others have taken on
management roles in local businesses like Chick-fil-A.
The program's impact inspired a sister
initiative, Queen Unique (QUT), which provides similar character-based
mentorship for young women. Though Growing Young Men currently operates without
state funding, Smith's vision is expanding; he recently presented the model at
a national conference to encourage other districts to adopt the framework.
For Smith, the
work is its own reward. "I get to serve. It's not about me," he reflects. "When
I see a former student leading his own team or serving his country, I know the
seed we planted has bloomed."
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