Real estate entrepreneur indulges inner child as mentor
Eddie Kearns, a local real estate entrepreneur, makes Wednesdays worthy of excitement for fifth-grader, Triston, who has been looking forward to his mentor’s weekly visits for the last six years.
As the owner and operator of Kearns & Associates Inc., Eddie Kearns spends the majority of his week immersed in the very adult world of buying and selling property. But Wednesdays are different.
As a mentor in the Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County program at Southwood Elementary, Kearns gets to put away the paperwork and spend his midweek lunch break letting his inner child out to play.
“I have the mind of a kid so it’s really fun for me to get around kids,” said Kearns, who joined the CIS program six years ago after then-principal of Southwood, Deana Coley gave an impassioned plea for mentors at Bethany United Methodist Church where they are both members. “I like to play anyway so I figured this was an opportunity for me to come and play once a week. It sounded like something I’d enjoy and if I could help out at the same time, even better.”
Kearns has been tossing the football, shooting hoops, playing board games, and doing the occasional lesson with his lunch buddy, Triston ever since.
Asked to describe Kearns in one word, Triston chose “awesome.”
“He’s hilarious, he makes jokes and he helps me with sports,” said the fifth grader. “I used to not have very many friends, but then Eddie started coming and sitting with me at lunch and people would crowd around. He really helped me with my personality.”
Triston said he looks forward to Wednesdays more than any other day of the week.
“I didn’t realize it when I started doing this, but the kids really look forward to their ‘lunch buddy day’ too, which is kind of nice,” said Kearns.
“Wednesdays are like an awesome day for me,” said Triston.
When they’re together, Kearns and Triston typically try to focus on just having a good time rather than on serious matters.
“Once in a while we’ll do school work but mostly we just play and talk about what’s going on. We just kind of hang out.” said Kearns, joking with Triston that he might have to change that after seeing his last report card. “It’s not a big deal if you get a bad grade, but it’s when you don’t put in the effort that it becomes a big deal.”
“Sometimes I get in trouble and he’ll (Kearns) talk with my teacher about it,” admitted Triston.
“But you haven’t had anything this year have you?” Kearns asked.
“Nope,” said Triston, adding, “I’m a lot more mature now.”
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CIS is part of the nation’s largest stay-in-school network, helping young people stay in school, successfully learn, and prepare for life by connecting needed community resources with schools. Founded in 1997, CIS of Lexington/Davidson County currently serves 24 schools in both the Lexington City and Davidson County School systems. If you would like to become a Lunch Buddy and mentor a student in need, please download a Mentor Application today.