On September 6, Michael Sims, founder and Executive Director of Teen Lead 360, shared his inspiring journey with the Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo. Sims opened up about his challenging childhood, which included the imprisonment of his father for multiple murders.
His life took a positive turn when he became involved in a local church. An accomplished football player, Sims earned a scholarship to play in college. However, feeling called to deepen his spiritual life, he transferred to Columbia International University and eventually became a Children’s Minister in a Midlands church. In this role, he regularly interacted with teenagers, addressing their triumphs and challenges.
Sims’ career evolved from being a Children’s Minister to a football coach in Pelion, where he also became the pastor of The Church at White Knoll. Alongside his wife, he began fostering a 14-year-old girl, whom they raised to adulthood. This experience fueled his motivation to positively impact teenagers facing difficult life circumstances, aiming to provide them with stability and mentorship to develop their leadership skills.
From this vision, Teen Lead 360 was created, currently in its early stages of development. Sims shared that he is testing a developmental model he hopes will expand beyond its pilot program in White Knoll.
The program will consist of a class of 25 to 30 teenagers who will meet one Saturday each month for nine months. Rather than a traditional lecture format, Sims plans to engage participants in hands-on projects that promote teamwork, collaboration, and leadership opportunities. The program’s staff and board are entirely composed of volunteers.
Teen Lead 360 will maintain communication with its participants through monthly in-person sessions, emails, texts, a monthly newsletter, and feedback meetings with parents. At the conclusion of the nine-month program, students will receive a certification award and recommendation letters for their top three college choices.
Sims’ passion for mentoring youth and helping them develop essential life skills left a lasting impression on the Optimist Club members, who were eager to learn more about supporting local teens in their communities.
Pictured are Michael Sims with Club President Kerry Powers.
