Long-running program will extend mentoring, academic support, and leadership development through BMW Academy at First Baptist Bracktown Church

FRANKFORT, Ky. — A $1 million award will help Kentucky State University expand its long-running youth mentoring work into Lexington-Fayette County through a new partnership with BMW Academy at First Baptist Bracktown Church.

The “If You Believe in Me, I Can Be the Change” Mentoring Initiative will be administered through the University’s Promising Youth Center for Excellence. The three-year project will establish a second coordinated mentoring site, extending a model that has served young people in Franklin County for more than two decades.

Designed for youth ages 11-17, the initiative will provide structured afterschool, weekend, and summer programming focused on mentoring, academic support, leadership development, wellness education, STEM experiences, life skills, and family engagement. Boys and girls will be served throughout the life of the funded project.

Each year, approximately 120 youth are expected to participate in the program through one-on-one mentoring, group activities, and enrichment opportunities. Trained Kentucky State students, peer leaders, community volunteers, and professional staff will help deliver programming while gaining experience connected to youth development, education, and community service.

“For more than two decades, Kentucky State has demonstrated what sustained mentoring can mean for young people, families, and communities,” said Dr. Herman E. Walston, professor of child development and family relations and principal investigator for the project. “This expansion allows us to build on a proven model while strengthening the support systems that help young people succeed academically, socially, and personally.”

Since its establishment in 2002, the Promising Youth Center for Excellence has served more than 1,000 children and youth ages 8-17 through mentoring programs. The center also has provided clinical and experiential learning opportunities for more than 200 Kentucky State students majoring in education, psychology, social work, and child development and family relations.

During that time, Kentucky State has secured more than $7.4 million in grants and contracts from federal agencies, corporations, and foundations to support mentoring services and youth development initiatives.

The Lexington-Fayette County expansion will be supported through partnerships with educators, community organizations, behavioral health providers, Cooperative Extension, 4-H, local schools, law enforcement, and faith-based organizations.

BMW Academy will help identify youth participants, support mentor recruitment, assist with programming, and work with Kentucky State to implement the University’s youth development and mentoring model. The partnership also will support data collection, reporting, and program evaluation connected to the grant.

David Fowler, director of the Promising Youth Center for Excellence, said the program’s greatest impact begins with consistent support from adults and mentors.

“It only takes one person to believe in you,” Fowler said. “In addition to growing the program, we are building relationships, creating opportunities, and helping young people see what is achievable in their future.”

Dr. Walston and Mr. Fowler also have shared Kentucky State’s mentoring and youth development expertise with afterschool professionals nationally, including through a 2025 National Afterschool Association Conference presentation focused on sustainable funding for youth programs.

As Kentucky’s only public HBCU and 1890 land-grant university, Kentucky State advances education, research, and community engagement across the Commonwealth. Through the Promising Youth Center for Excellence, the University will continue preparing students for service-oriented careers while supporting young people through mentoring, academic enrichment, and leadership development.

The Promising Youth Center for Excellence provides mentoring, academic support, prevention programming, leadership development, and family engagement opportunities for youth across Kentucky. Housed at Kentucky State University, the center serves as a model for evidence-based mentoring while preparing University students through clinical experiences and community service.