Blue Tiger Born to Fly: Lincoln University Alumnus Earl Dockett III is Changing Lives in St. Louis

Earl Dockett III, a 2004 Lincoln University graduate and assistant school leader of culture at KIPP Inspire Academy in St. Louis, created The Breakfast Club, a mentorship program that is transforming school culture by fostering leadership, accountability and belonging among Black male students.

Earl Dockett III has spent 22 years in education, but the work he's doing now might be his most important yet. As assistant school leader of culture at KIPP Inspire Academy in St. Louis, the 2004 Lincoln University graduate created a program called The Breakfast Club, and in just a few months, it has transformed the culture of his school and the lives of the young men inside it.

The idea came to Dockett in January 2025 after reviewing student data that revealed a troubling pattern: Black male students accounted for roughly 85% of discipline referrals at KIPP Inspire. Rather than respond with more punishment, Dockett asked a different question. What if these boys were given space to be seen and heard before the school day even began?

He gathered 30 students, handed each one a composition book, and told them they would meet every Tuesday and Thursday morning to journal, meditate, and start the day with intention. What grew from that simple gathering was something Dockett describes as a brotherhood, young men holding each other accountable, showing up for one another, and learning to lead. Discipline referrals dropped from 85% to roughly 30%. The Missouri Charter School Association took notice, honoring The Breakfast Club with its STL Charter School Innovation Award.

The results show up not just in data, but in individual stories. One student, Sebastian, lost his mother this year and returned to school within days, not because he had to, but because The Breakfast Club was where he wanted to be. He's now one of the group's leaders, the kind of kid who hugs a frustrated classmate instead of walking past him. "That is what this is all about," Dockett said.

At the heart of the program is an acronym Dockett created: F.L.Y., which stands for First Love Yourself. The concept is the foundation of his broader vision, Beyond Limits Mentoring and Leadership LLC, through which he hopes to reach more young people. "I want kids to feel like they are soaring," he said.

Dockett traces his capacity for this work, in part, back to Lincoln University. He transferred to LU in 2003 and graduated with a journalism degree in 2004, but says the experience felt like four full years because of the depth of connection he found there. He was involved with KJLU radio and the student union, and credits mentors like Dick Dalton for helping shape who he became.

"Lincoln is a place that feels like family," he said. "Professors notice if you miss a class." He tells his students the same thing he learned there: it's not about which school you attend, but the impact you make while you're there. "I will always be a Blue Tiger."

After 15 years at KIPP St. Louis, Dockett's ambitions are growing. Next year the program expands to include high schoolers as they prepare for college or trades. He also hopes to one day place journals in the hands of incoming college freshmen, helping the next generation navigate their own journeys, one page at a time.