Fifteen summers ago, Missioner Carrie Boren Headington received an email that would change lives. A mother reached out, heart heavy, unable to afford school clothes for her son with the new school year just weeks away. The thought of a child starting school without the basics moved Carrie deeply, and she immediately contacted the family.

 

When Carrie met the mother and her ten-year-old son, a powerful connection was formed. Listening to their story, she realized this boy needed more than clothes—he needed a mentor, a friend, someone to walk alongside him. That day marked the beginning of a mentoring relationship that continues to this day.

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One of the first things the boy shared was his dream: he wanted to be a football player. That dream struck a chord with Carrie. Her brother-in-law, a former college football champion and then-offensive coordinator for one of the nation’s top programs, also ran a free summer football camp for underserved youth in Oklahoma. Inspired by this boy’s passion, Carrie helped bring the camp to Dallas for a special three-day experience. That spark ignited something bigger.

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Today, 15 years later, that small camp has grown into the thriving Dallas Champions Academy. What began as a three-day event has blossomed into a five-day summer camp, a year-round mentoring initiative, a college football combine and career day (which has helped over 200 youth attend college), quarterly virtual check-ins, financial aid workshops for parents, college tours, and so much more. The Academy continues to transform lives and uplift families across Dallas.

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And that young boy? He’s a young man now, doing well—still carrying the heart of a champion.