Today we’d like to introduce you to Drew Gaut.
Hi Drew, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I didn’t start PROPEL, I walked into it. About 16 years ago, I started volunteering when there were maybe eight kids in the room. It was small, scrappy and honestly pretty raw, but you could feel the potential right away.
What kept me coming back was simple. I saw myself in those kids. The lack of access, the need for someone to believe in you, the moments where one relationship can change everything. That stuck with me. I always say we’re most qualified to help the people we used to be, and PROPEL became that space for me.
Over time, I just kept saying yes. I moved from volunteer to Program Director, then Executive Director and now CEO. There wasn’t some master plan, it was about being consistent, building relationships and doing whatever it took to grow the program the right way.
As we grew, the mission stayed the same but the vision got bigger. We went from serving a handful of students to building something that gives young people real exposure, real mentorship and real opportunities they wouldn’t normally see.
Today, PROPEL is more than a program to me. It’s personal. It’s a lifestyle. It’s about making sure every kid who walks through our doors feels seen, heard and pushed to reach their full potential, because I know firsthand how much that can change the trajectory of a life.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Building something like PROPEL comes with a lot of uncertainty, especially in the early years. There were times when funding was tight, resources were limited and we were asking ourselves how we were going to keep the doors open while still showing up fully for the kids.
One of the hardest lessons for me personally was coming to terms with the fact that you can’t save everyone. As much as you want it for them, they have to want it for themselves just as much, if not more. That’s not easy when you’re invested in these kids and their futures, but it’s real. And it’s something that’s shaped how I lead and how we support our students.
Growth has also been a challenge. As we expanded, the responsibility grew with it. More students, more staff, more complexity. I had to learn how to lead at a different level, build the right team around me and trust the process.
What’s helped us navigate all of it is the community we’ve built. We’ve worked hard to create strong relationships with people and organizations that believe in what we’re doing. That support has been critical. You don’t build something like this alone.
At the end of the day, the challenges didn’t break us, they refined us. They’ve made us more focused, more resilient and more committed to doing this work the right way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
PROPEL, Inc. stands for People Reaching Out to Provide Education and Leadership, and at our core, that’s exactly what we do. We create opportunities for middle and high school students to be seen, heard and exposed to what’s possible for their future.
We’re not just an afterschool program. What we’ve built is a true wrap-around model that removes barriers and gives students consistency. We pick them up from school, bring them into a structured and supportive environment, provide meals, mentorship, academic support and real-world exposure, then make sure they get home safely. For a lot of our students, those afterschool hours are where things can go off track. We make sure they don’t.
What sets PROPEL apart is simple. We don’t just prepare students for the future, we put them in it.
Everything we do is relationship-first. Our students are surrounded by coaches and mentors who know them personally, challenge them and hold them accountable. And as they grow, they step into leadership themselves. Our high school students mentor the younger ones, which builds confidence and creates a culture where everyone is responsible for each other.
One of the things I’m most proud of is our alumni. They come back as mentors, speakers and coaches, staying connected while navigating college, careers and life. That creates something powerful. Our students don’t just hear what’s possible, they see it from people who were sitting in the same seat not long ago.
At the end of the day, PROPEL is intentional. Everything we’ve built has come from years of working directly with students and adapting to what they actually need. When people hear PROPEL, I want them to think of a place that removes barriers, builds real relationships and creates a clear path forward.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happiest is my family. Kristin and I adopted three of our children through PROPEL, so for us this work has never just been professional, it’s personal in every sense of the word.
Being a husband and a dad is what grounds me. My faith also plays a big role in that. It shapes how I lead, how I show up for people and how I stay focused on what really matters. It keeps me centered, especially in the middle of everything this work requires.
At PROPEL, what brings me a lot of fulfillment is seeing growth in our students. The moments when a young person starts to believe in themselves, takes ownership or steps into leadership, those are the things that stay with you.
What really comes full circle is when our students come back. Seeing them return as mentors, pouring into the next group, that’s when you know the impact is real.
At the end of the day, I’m happiest when those things align, family, faith and purpose. For me, they’re all connected.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.propelyourfuture.org
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/propelyourfuture
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/propelboca
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@PROPEL-YourFuture
