SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)—A Shreveport native and entrepreneur devised a creative way to give back to his community by incentivizing student success, and he is challenging other leaders to do the same.
Ryan Williams, CEO of Seedlinks Behavior Management, has decided to invest in the community that he credits with molding him by supporting students through his Better Me, Better School Challenge. This challenge is his most recent form of community advocacy.
Williams is an Air Force Veteran and serial entrepreneur. The upscale nightclub Uptown Bar and Lounge is among his many business endeavors. However, his passion comes across when he talks about the importance of helping the youth and equipping schools that are constantly on budgetary chopping blocks.
“One of the things we’ve been doing for the past six years is sending over pallets of water at the beginning of August because we know it gets extremely hot. So we send over pallets of water for all auxiliary programs—football, band, early basketball practice, and things of that nature—to ensure our students have access to good, bottled, clean water,” Williams said.
Well, the water bottles were delivered weeks ago, and the hometown entrepreneur’s latest move to invest in Shreveport’s future increases the amount of skin he has in the game and will require a matching effort from students, school staff, and parents.
Williams has invited Booker T. Washington, Green Oaks, Huntington, and Woodlawn High Schools to participate in a tiered challenge to provide cash incentives at each level. Schools will be rewarded according to criteria such as accepting the challenge, participating in PTA or PTSO, minimizing school fights, and attending back-to-school night events.
While his capital investment portfolio may be impressive, his most precious assets are his children, who range from young adults in college to much younger. Between making tuition payments and providing guidance for his own children, it would be easy to ignore the needs of others.
Instead, Williams sees this as an investment in the community and believes the biblical adage, “To whom much is given, much is required.”
“I’m taking my own personal resources and making a challenge to the school and as the school accepts the challenge I am giving them an investment and that return is going to be further invested into the students,” Williams said.
Each school is special to Williams, whether it is his old stomping ground, Green Oaks, the rival BTW, Huntington, where a fellow member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity serves as band director, or Woodlawn, where he cut his teeth as an educator.
“I saw firsthand what could be done at that school and what needed to be done at that school. Woodlawn became near and dear to my heart; I’m an honorary Knight at Woodlawn, so I love that school. I love what they’re doing,” Williams said. “Grady Smith is an amazing principal and leader at that school, and they’ve had a lot of tragedy there as well, so I want to motivate those students past their tragedies to some triumphs.”
Williams is encouraging others to step out and do something for youth in the community. He understands that everyone may not have access to the same resources but that doesn’t mean you need to stand on the sidelines and watch.
“I want to be on the hook for the long term, not the short term. The short term is easy for some people and it would have been easy for me but I was always taught to take the road less traveled.
Williams suggests that anyone who wants to help out at schools should start by contacting the principal and letting them know exactly how you would like to help.
