“Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve.”
~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
As an educator and coach, Larry McKenzie’s teams have consistently beaten the odds as it relates to the achievement gap. With a highly structured program and a group of dedicated coaches, he has developed a program with tremendous academic success. Under the leadership of Coach McKenzie, teams have shown tremendous improvement in the classroom, increasing their graduation rates and GPA’s. Ninety-five percent of these players (African-American males) have been on the A or B Honor Roll.
Not only has Larry McKenzie made a difference in the academic careers of hundreds of young men, but he has also been a father figure to many of them. When he first got involved with Big Brothers of America, he was just 23 years old. Even back then, he knew that he wanted to help others, so he did. He didn’t start coaching until 1981, when his little brother volunteered him to be the basketball coach. He hasn’t stopped since then! Coach McKenzie has devoted the majority of his life towards being a positive role model for urban youth and making a difference in their lives. He has changed countless lives because he has taken the time to care and has put forth the effort.
“Fortunate is the person that sees a need, recognizes a responsibility,
and actively pursues becoming the answer.”
~ Larry McKenzie
In this inspiring program, Coach McKenzie explores what we can personally do to make positive changes in the lives of others. It is up to us to identify a need, decide that we must act, and try to solve the problem. It’s very easy to find reasons why we can’t do something, but we have to look past those!
Three key points:
- Don’t allow barriers (age, economic status, etc.) to keep you from doing something. YOU can make a difference in your community organization or your school. Pay it forward!
- Look around you. Someone nearby needs help. You shouldn’t have to look far in order to make a difference in someone’s life.
- Making a difference in the lives of others is not easy, but it is always worth it. Getting involved often means taking a risk, but it can also be life changing.