Much like he created plays on the basketball court more than three decades ago, Ernie Murry has joined the Students of Achievement & Responsibility team as its executive director to give the nonprofit a big assist.
Four months into his new job, Murry is preparing SOAR to welcome fifth through 12th graders from Pine Bluff-area schools for after-school academic, social and spiritual programs at First Methodist Church, 200 W. Sixth Ave.
“My passion is seeing young people excel at life,” said Murry, who most recently sold medical equipment for a Little Rock company. “When the SOAR program was seeking an executive director, I came down and interviewed with the board.”
Murry said he accepted the position after two interviews with the SOAR board. Anita Smith serves as program director, and Murry credited Smith with doing “a tremendous job” with day-to-day operations.
“This is a ministry to me,” Murry said. “It’s almost to me like playing basketball because you are molding and you are changing young people’s lives to become productive citizens.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Basketball took Murry from his home in Wabbaseka, where he won two high school state championships in the 1980s, to present-day Arkansas Northeastern College in Blytheville and then to the University of Arkansas, where he helped the Razorbacks reach the NCAA Final Four in 1990 and a regional final in 1991.
Murry previously worked with young people through outreach programs in the Dollarway and Pine Bluff school districts. With SOAR, he leads a program that enriches students with a focus on enhanced education and community service along with a Christian education toward character-building, according to its description.
SOAR, which has been in existence for almost a decade, is seeking students who have high academic potential but don’t perform well in the classroom.
“SOAR helped me realize what I wanted to do,” said Keiren Minter, a Watson Chapel High School graduate who recently completed his freshman year at the University of Central Arkansas. “When I started seventh grade, I didn’t have any career plans or goals or things like that. And then, I was introduced to Educators Rising through SOAR, and then I became a national officer through Educators Rising. They helped me realize my passion for education.”
Minter also discovered his passion for theater, in which he majors at UCA. Minter plans to obtain a master’s degree after graduation.
“It’s a really fun program and it’s free,” he said.
Another recent SOAR attendee, Jah’Miyah Matthews, is going to North Carolina Central University and will major in social work. She graduated from Pine Bluff High School in May.
Murry said SOAR will focus on math and reading, two core areas where he says kids are struggling in Jefferson County. Each student who comes to SOAR is pre-tested in those subjects. A manager will then follow students’ academic progress.
“We also feed the kids and try to make it fun,” Murry said. “We want them to have fun, but we also need them to be learning and developing good character.”
Volunteers for SOAR are welcome, Murry said. He can be reached at (870) 329-2926 for more information.