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Ayers Foundation celebrates 25 years of service to rural Tennessee – WBBJ TV

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Ayers Foundation celebrates 25 years of service to rural Tennessee – WBBJ TV


PARSONS, Tenn. — The Ayers Foundation marked 25 years this afternoon by providing lunch for not only the community but also for students.

“Our founder, Jim Ayers, he was able to go to college, he had the financial backing by his parents to go to college. But his, one of his best friends, did not. He would say he was just as capable if not more so in every way that he was. So it always kind of haunted him that he couldn’t do anything about that. So he said if I can remove that financial barrier will they go to college, and well they have since 1999,” said Burton Williams, chief executive officer for the Ayers Foundation Trust.

Williams shared that, since 1999, they have helped over 100,000 students.

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This is done by providing local students access to scholarships and college counseling.

56% of their students further their education at either community colleges or TCAT programs.

“Majority of our students are first generation and so their parents did not go to college. So it’s really a celebration to see them living in the dreams that they have for themselves. Whatever that is, it may not be a four year college. We consider success going to a four year college, an associates degree, a community college, a TCAT, a military or a certified apprenticeship,” said Williams.

Williams shares that their foundation is now in 33 high schools in 21 counties across Tennessee.

Over the years of meeting students, hearing their stories has made this work worth it. One student shared their story of sleeping in their car.

“What she said that was so profound to me is that she said, through high school I should have been able to depend on certain people and they weren’t there for me. The ones she needed the most weren’t even there so, we became those people. We were able to help her go to UT Martin Parsons and I believe she’s finishing as a nurse,” said Williams.

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Williams also continued to share that this evenings celebration will highlight 25 graduates spanning from their first graduating class to the most recent graduates.

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Tennessee Basketball Loses A Freshman Guard To The Transfer Portal | Rocky Top Insider

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Tennessee Basketball Loses A Freshman Guard To The Transfer Portal | Rocky Top Insider


Photo via Tennessee Athletics

Tennessee combo guard Troy Henderson is entering the transfer portal after spending just one season inside the Volunteer program, On3’s Joe Tipton first reported and Henderson posted on his Instagram.

Henderson played in 28 games during his freshman season at Tennessee, averaging 1.8 points and 1.1 assists in seven minutes per game. The combo guard proved to be a solid three-pointer, making 15 triples at a 34% clip over the course of the season. He made just a pair of two-pointers during the season.

The 6-foot-1 guard competed with Ethan Burg for Tennessee’s backup point guard spot behind Ja’Kobi Gillespie. At points throughout the season, Henderson was the Vols’ backup point guard. However, Burg ended up winning that job down the course of the season with Henderson playing just four minutes in Tennessee’s final five games played.

Henderson suffered a left shoulder injury and played through it the back half of his freshman. Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes that Henderson would have to undergo shoulder surgery this offseason.

More From RTI: Where Tennessee Basketball Lands In ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Rankings

The best moment of Henderson’s freshman season came early in SEC play when he scored eight points and hit two crucial late game three-pointers in Tennessee’s 87-82 double overtime win against Texas A&M at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.

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Henderson was a late addition to Tennessee’s 2025 recruiting class. He originally signed with Fordham but requested a release from his NLI after the Rams fired head coach Keith Urgo. Tennessee brought in Henderson for a visit between the 2025 Round of 32 and Sweet 16 and he committed to Barnes and his staff after the thought.

Point guard is perhaps the biggest question for Tennessee this offseason. Gillespie is out of eligibility and Tennessee will look for another starting point guard in the transfer portal to replace him. The only point guard currently on the Vols roster next season is three-star signee Marquis Clark.

Henderson is the sixth Tennessee player to enter the transfer portal this offseason, joining Cade Phillips, Clarence Massamba, J.P. Estrella, Bishop Boswell and Jaylen Carey.

Tennessee has four incoming players including Belmont transfer sharpshooter Tyler Lundblade. The Vols currently have six scholarships to work with in the transfer portal and it will be seven if Nate Ament declares for the NBA Draft as expected.

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Report: ICE arrests decline in Tennessee

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Report: ICE arrests decline in Tennessee


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Tennessee basketball freshman guard plans to transfer

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Tennessee basketball freshman guard plans to transfer


The 2025-26 college basketball season will conclude Monday with a national championship game between Michigan and UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Tipoff is slated for 8:50 p.m. EDT (TBS).

Tennessee advanced to its third consecutive NCAA Tournament Elite Eight in 2026.

The NCAA transfer portal will open Tuesday after the national title game.

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Tennessee freshman guard Clarence Massamba plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, according to Joe Tipton of On3.

“Tennessee guard Clarence Massamba plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, Joe Tipton reports,” On3 announced Monday.

Three players from Tennessee’s 2025-2026 roster are graduating: point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie, shooting guard Amaree Abram and center Felix Okpara. Tennessee has three commitments in its 2026 basketball recruiting class: small forward Ralph Scott, power forward Manny Green and point guard Marquis Clark.

Former Belmont shooting guard Tyler Lundblade committed to the Vols on April 1. Power forward Cade Phillips was the first member of Tennessee’s 2025-2026 basketball team to declare his entry into the transfer portal on Friday.

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