Aly Bowers: High school student leads by example.
Aly Bowers is a young woman from whom everyone might wish they had the opportunity to learn. As I sat in her family home, surrounded by handmade artwork and framed photographs, I was in awe of the legacy that this Chapin High School senior was quietly creating. Here sat a humble, big sister of three, who has spent most of her life exploring the possibilities of humanitarianism in a small town. Aly is unlike most high school students. While most teenagers are seeking social outlets to fill their free time, Aly is finding the next opportunity to create a difference in the social fabric of life around her.
Community service is at the forefront of Aly’s mind for a variety of reasons. Her brother Brayden has spent summers at The Exceptional Eagles Camp at Chapin Elementary, where special needs students come together. The EEC provides both school structure and fun activities for kids. Aly volunteered at both the Chapin location and the H.E. Corely location, and, after witnessing the positive effects the camp had on her brother, Aly wanted to do more. With the goal of bringing more inclusive activities to Chapin, Aly decided to help her mom, Jenny Bowers, create The Screaming Eagles.
The Screaming Eagles is a sports team that encompasses a diverse group of kids that play baseball in the fall and soccer in the spring. Aly has devoted countless hours to the team, which includes her youngest brother Brayden. When asked about the inspiration behind her involvement with the new organization, Aly says, “I made these special connections with kids that became a part of who I am.” Gaining attention over the past few years, athletic teams from different universities have traveled to play with The Screaming Eagles and create memorable moments for these young players. In fact, a lot of public interest has been generated. Motivating her classmates to join in the movement, Aly helped Chapin High School raise over $100k last year. But she’s not done yet.
The Screaming Eagles
eams,” a space where this team can build upon their abilities and players. The process has taken many forms including as a Go Fund Me campaign, which can be found on Aly’s social media page that is transfixed by the smiling faces of the children she supports within the program. Aly hopes that she can help raise enough money to start construction in the near future.
When she isn’t attending to her game roster, Aly is following a school schedule of A.P. classes and exploring her love for dance at The Dance Department in Irmo, South Carolina. Aly is now a “Senior Diamond” within the company and will serve as a teaching assistant for the younger classes in the fall. As she enters her senior year, Aly looks forward to her Health Science Internship and the opportunities it holds. Her chosen course of study will allow her early entry into her field, and will include valuable certifications along the way.
Balancing the needs of family, academics, and volunteering isn’t always easy for the 17 year-old. Aly expresses that it’s difficult to maintain these passions simultaneously. “Sometimes dance practice falls on game nights and I have to hurry over from one place to the next, spending many nights eating a quick dinner at the field.” Even so, she says that volunteering has truly changed her as a person. “They [the Screaming Eagles] have taught me life lessons and things about myself that I didn’t realize on my own. These kids have inspired me to discover my passion for the medical field and continue my future as a Physical Therapist for children with special needs later on.” Her future aspirations include attending Clemson University and graduating with her medical degree in the Class of 2023.
“I wish that some students would come for one practice and see what it’s like. You have to witness it to fall in love.” Aly stressed the family atmosphere that the team provides, the confidence it breeds, and the importance of independence for the players. When she’s not helping her brother Brayden practice t-ball in the backyard, she’s watching him and others perform on the field with newfound confidence.
Aly Bowers and Brayden Bowers
This is only the beginning for Aly. She plans on continuing her work as a mentor for students with disabilities in college and making the most of the new area. As for now, her goals are to make the most of senior year, high school traditions and to spend time with the children who have changed her life, as she has unquestionably has changed theirs.
Samantha, a member of the Screaming Eagles, after seeing her friend Aly in Chapin Magazine.
““We are responsible for the world in which we find ourselves, if only because we are the only sentient force which can change it” ”
Author Raegan Ashlee Brizek is a sophmore at USC studying Broadcast Journalism.
Chapin Magazine extends a very gracious thank you to Raegan for stepping up as a student writer and finding a Stand Out Student to feature in Chapin Magazine. The Stand Out Student column is written by a student, about a student. To nominate a Stand Out Student for recognition in the next issue or to step up as our next student writer, please email us.
