AS THE morning sky fully awakened, its ombre pinks, blues, and yellows yielding to the full orb of the yellow sun, they waited. The men talked, gathered in clusters, many with coffee in hand, others with bottled water. They wore suits, uniforms, dress casual, jeans, polos, shorts, and athletic shirts. They would later leave for jobs at manufacturing plants, banks, the courthouse, grocery stores, restaurants, law enforcement, and other careers. But for now, they were here for the Ralph Askins School (RAS) students at the invitation of former RAS Student Resource Officer Drew Ivey.
Passionate about connecting with the students and reminding them of their value, his routine was to stand outside the school, greeting every child entering the building by name as often as possible. With each passing morning, the idea of extending the reach and opportunity to influence the children grew.
“As time went on, I envisioned asking a few guys to join in, helping me greet the kids. It was imperative that we let each student know that they have a whole community that supports them in their educational, social, and emotional well-being. My main goal was to make each child feel like they were the most important person entering the school,” Ivey shared.
But how do children learn to interpret their value and place in our world? Like us, it starts with feeling seen, heard, and treasured. It shows up in how we meet their basic needs for food, water, shelter, warmth, sleep, and clothing. They find their reflection — or not — in the mirrors of friendship, family, and role models.
Ivey understands.
He said, “Since I was young, I’ve understood the importance of having strong male role models in my life. Quite a few stepped into that role for me and assisted in shaping me into the person I am today. I wanted to ensure that every student at Ralph Askins knows there are strong male mentors in our small, tight-knit community who care about them.”
So, an idea that began with a few men joining him in greeting the students one morning grew into an annual event.
“Prior to the first event, a simple Facebook post was made to invite any male in our community who wanted to attend and help us greet the kids. Within one day, the post was shared numerous times, and then I saw that this event was going to really take traction. Each event has blown me away with the support from our amazing men of Lincoln County.”
Ironically, the turnout was so great that finding enough room for everyone to greet the children was a challenging but wonderful problem. Men were willing to stand two or three deep.
“I’ve had an overwhelming amount of positive feedback from parents and students. All children deserve to feel valued and supported. I really think we achieved what we set out to do,” Ivey reflected. “As expected, in any large group of children, some have few to no male role models in their lives. This event allowed each student to know their community was standing with them and for them.”
The event’s impact didn’t end when the doors closed behind the students and the first bell rang.
“After the events, I always tried to speak with everyone who decided to wake up and be at Ralph Askins at 6:45 a.m. on a weekday morning. What surprised me the most when speaking to the men who came was that most had no direct ties to Ralph Askins or any of the students. It was found that they just wanted to ensure that each child knew that they [were] supporting them,” said Ivey.
And the men wanted to do even more.
“The program didn’t just stop on that day. Several of the men who joined in on the event, along with their families, contacted me around Christmastime and requested to ‘adopt’ the kids and buy gifts for them and their families. This made it possible for over 30 kids to make a wish list and be provided with toys, clothing, and items they were in need of for Christmas.”
It’s a response that makes Ivey proud.
He said, “Being born and raised in this amazing community, the overwhelming support this program has had blows me away. Men from every walk of life gathered together for one simple reason: to let the children of our community know that we are there for them.”
He continued, “I hope that each student at Ralph Askins knows they are loved and supported and that their community stands for them and with them. The smiles on the children’s faces when they see the amount of support from the whole community makes it all worthwhile.”
And this year, Ivey welcomes students in a new location and position.
“Working with the Fayetteville City School District and seeing the amazing impact they have on our youth has inspired me to make a transition in jobs. As of the first of the 2024-2025 school year, I transitioned from being in law enforcement to being a teacher for the Fayetteville City Schools. I am currently teaching criminal justice and world history and have the privilege to work with local eighth through 12th graders,” Ivey explained.
It’s in his genes.
“From a long history of educators, I hope I can have the positive impact through education that both of my grandmothers had. My grandmothers, Betty Ivey, Patsy Gray, and Louise DeJarnatt, were longtime educators in Lincoln County who have made a lasting impact on several generations. I hope that I am able to look back at the end of my life and know I did all I could to have a positive impact on our youth.” GN
