Dr. Kerrick Nevels considers himself a pastor first and foremost, but he also likes working with young people as a teacher — and he gets to do both in the city where he grew up.
For two years, he has served as pastor of Brooklyn Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, and he also teaches biology and Advanced Placement chemistry at Amanda Elzy High School.
Nevels, 38, the son of Huntley and Barbara Nevels, was born in Greenwood and raised in the Brooklyn Chapel congregation. He graduated from Greenwood High School in 1996 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in biology and general science education with a minor in chemistry from Rust College, graduating in 2000. Growing up, he had thought he wanted to be a doctor, but after he finished his biology degree early, an adviser suggested that he add the education coursework.
“I started in education, and I fell in love with it,” said Nevels, who had done some tutoring in college. “I did my student teaching, and I realized that this is what I wanted to do.”
He came home and taught at Elzy until 2004 before returning to college full time, first at the University of Southern Mississippi and then at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, where he completed a doctorate in pharmaceutical science in 2012. Then he took a job as an assistant professor at William Carey University, teaching biology and chemistry. Still, he maintained ties with his hometown; even while he was a student at Southern Miss, he drove to Greenwood at least three times a month to play piano at his church and two others.
“I knew that I would eventually come back to Greenwood because this is where my heart was,” he said. “And so I came back, and I wanted to give back to the school system here.”
He became pastor of Brooklyn Chapel in 2014 after the death of the Rev. R.L. Ingram. Although he had known for some time that God had called him to ministry, he didn’t expect to have to fill a pastor’s role so soon — but it helped that he had already been active in a number of ministries there.
“I thought it would be awkward, it would be difficult, but it’s been an easy transition,” he said.
Being called “Pastor Nevels” by relatives took some adjustment, just as being called “Dr. Nevels” had after he earned his doctorate. Then again, he said, “Titles really don’t matter that much. I know people are doing it out of respect. But pastoring my church has been an awesome experience.”
Brooklyn Chapel used to hold services only once a month, but it expanded to three services — the second, fourth and fifth Sundays — a few months after he took over. The church has experienced some growth, and people there work well together, said Nevels, who is trying to build up the youth department and other programs.
He also likes the work environment at Elzy. Administrators support teachers, people are helpful to newcomers, and everyone is committed to improving test scores and moving the school forward, he said. He added that he believes in teaching students life skills as well as academic material, because “high school is not the end.”
In addition to serving as the sponsor of the senior Beta Club and the Chemistry Club, he has served as project coordinator for the 21st Century after-school program at Mississippi Valley State University.
“It’s an awesome program, the things that we’re able to do,” he said. “We worked with about 100 students this past year and over the summer. We’ve been able to provide science equipment that they wouldn’t normally get the chance to use and stuff like that. So that’s been a wonderful experience.”
The future of the 21st Century program is in doubt because of funding issues, but even if it doesn’t continue, Nevels said he still hopes to work with students in some way to expose them to new aspects of science and math.
Also, “I really want to do things in the area for young people, like community centers — just giving them something to do,” he said.
In general, he tries to encourage students who often are going through difficult circumstances and may need an occasional pat on the back.
“I’ve actually had kids walk up to me and ask me to pray for them, pray for their family, pray for their mother,” he said. “And I do that.”
Nevels and his wife, Tina, have been married 10 years. They have two daughters, 8-year-old Kaeley and 3-year-old Keira, and one son, Kerrick II, who is 5.
In his spare time, Nevels enjoys baking cakes for weddings and other special events, as well as cooking a variety of other dishes. He has been selling cakes for a while and has taken on some repeat customers through word of mouth.
“It’s something I hope eventually to turn into an actual business,” he said. “But between (school) and family and pastoring, it takes a lot of time.”
Although he is grateful for the opportunities he’s had in other places, he is glad to be in Greenwood.
“I feel like I’m here for a purpose,” he said.
• Contact David Monroe at 581-7236 or dmonroe@gwcommonwealth.com.
