On Wednesdays at Memminger Elementary School in Charleston, South Carolina, a group of boys arrived in shirts, ties and jackets for lessons that went beyond their regular schoolwork.
In February 2016, local reporting described nearly 60 students taking part in a weekly club led by student support specialist Raymond Nelson. Teacher Kenneth Joyner also helped lead the initiative.
The clothes made the group noticeable. Its purpose was to give children a regular opportunity to practice courtesy and receive encouragement from adults.
A weekly place to practice
WCSC’s original report, published February 24, 2016, described first- through fifth-grade students learning about greetings, eye contact, opening doors and speaking respectfully to older people.
Nelson drew on something familiar: his mother had enrolled him in a similar group when he was young. He wanted to pass those lessons along.
The club’s motto was brief: “Look good, feel good, do good.”
Nelson also kept donated jackets, vests and ties at school for students who did not have their own. Participation did not depend on a family buying an outfit.
Two educators behind the idea
A March 11, 2016 KSL report credited Nelson and Joyner with leading the club, which had begun that January. It also documented the group’s national attention and invitation to the Steve Harvey Show.
Originally called the Gentleman’s Club, the initiative became known as Boys With Purpose, with some coverage using “Boys with a Purpose.”
What the viral version leaves out
This is a story from 2016, rather than evidence that the same Wednesday meetings or membership numbers continue today.
Nelson spoke about supporting children without men at home. That does not establish the family circumstances of every participant, or mean that their families offered no guidance.
The most concrete part of his approach was simple: make time, provide what students needed to join in, and return each week to practice.
More stories about making learning accessible include Arvind Gupta’s science toys made from everyday materials and Lingampalli Himaja’s Braille printer project shaped by student feedback.