MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) – The Boys and Girls Club of the Grand Strand uses its after school program to help more than 200 kids across Horry County.
Organizers make sure the kids have a healthy snack each day and hot meal through its programs like “Teen Eats” but most importantly the kids have to stay on top of their grades.For one of its teen member’s The Club went above and beyond to see home succeed.
If you stop at the Teen Center on Carver Street and ask about Shyquain Mccray, you’ll only hear positive things.
“He’s just a really warm, loving kind-hearted kid and you just don’t get a lot of kids like that. He’s respectful to the staff and adults. He really feels like the Teen Center is family.” Chief Executive Officer Dione Buonto said.
The Teen Center is a [art of his family that also helped him bounce back from a poor decision.
“Since being here has taught me this is another home for me. Not to go play out in the streets and do drugs or go steal from somebody,” Youth of the Year Shyquain Mccray said.
Those are all life lessons he will carry with him forever.
“I’m going to think about them ever step, every challenge I go through, I’m just going to think about them because if it weren’t for them I wouldn’t be here right now. I probably wouldn’t be living until the age of 17.”
So when it was time to apply for college and Shyquain struggled with his SAT and ACT scores, his family called on community leaders for help with things like letters of recommendation.
“The Boys and Girls Club fits a particular need that people like Shyquain fit right into. So when we can support them and support them directly then people that have extra resources being able to contribute directly,” Grand Strand Technology Council Co-Chairman John Saunders said.
Through that support, Shyquain’s dream of being the first person in his family to attend college came true.
“When I first found out I got accepted it was, I felt like I wanted to burst in tears. It was just so amazing that so many people were behind me just helping me out and guiding me through the way,” Shyquain said.
But getting accepted into Coastal Carolina University is just the first step.
“I’ll hopefully get a degree in criminal justice so I can hopefully be an FBI agent or a police officer.”
As he embarks on this new journey this summer, his family will never be too far behind. The Boys and Girls Club also awarded him a scholarship to help with tuition, books and housing.
