Cartier Scott is THAT guy. He’s the educator with the “IT” factor; known for his relatability, and unique ability to inspire students to be their best authentic selves.
“As Dr. King said, ‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?’ Mr. Scott answers that question,” Karen Whetsell, an instructional superintendent with the School District of Palm Beach County, wrote about Scott. She continued to say that, “Mr. Scott is the real deal, exactly the type of man that is needed for ALL students on a high school campus, but especially who is needed for Black male students. […] His passion for academics just ignites a spark in students. He believes in them, and in turn, they learn to believe in themselves.”
A Suncoast Community High School math teacher in Riviera Beach, Florida, and a track coach at Keiser University, Mr. Scott is also an active member of the Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association and the Florida Education Association.
Cartier specializes in sparking self-determination in youth. He is a co-founder and mentor for the nonprofit organization Connect to Greatness (C2G), whose mission is to inspire African American boys and their mothers to become leaders and change-makers in the world. The nonprofit has two tracks: the Boys to Men Leadership Academy and the Women of Boys Empowerment Program. Boys to Men focuses on exposing young men to new experiences and situations, ranging from tie-tying, to yoga, to college tours, and even on having tough conversations about growing up. The Women of Boys Empowerment Program seeks to empower the boys’ moms through first-time homebuyer classes, credit rebuilding classes, mental health counseling, and discussions about raising African American boys. In Mr. Scott’s current capacity as mentor and coach, he tutors math, teaches basketball, provides supporting STEM activities, and helps the boys at C2G understand their cultural heritage and how to be great at anything they want to accomplish. Andre Thaddies, executive director of C2G, writes of Mr. Scott: “Cartier represents everything that our organization is built on, which is not fitting the traditional mold and/or stereotype and embracing the importance of education and being uniquely authentic about what you want to be.”
Mr. Scott has been described as a life changer and as someone who does everything well and with “love, honor, and pride.” As an educator, coach, and mentor, he follows the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by positively impacting the educational and social life of the students he serves.
