Offering inspiration

By Denice Thibodeau

Published: August 18, 2008

The theme for the upcoming school year at Danville Public Schools is “The Power of Inspiration,” and administrators, school board members, staff and teachers talked about that power Monday during the annual convocation at George Washington High School’s auditorium.

The theme was best reinforced by teacher Anthony Swann, who told a story about the inspiration he received while a student from a fourth-grade teacher.

Swann said he had a rough childhood, with an alcoholic mother and absent father. At one time, he and his mother lived in Chicago in an unoccupied building, and then they returned to Danville. He said by the time he was heading for fourth grade, he was in a foster home and didn’t want to live anymore.

At the end of his first day in fourth grade at Schoolfield Elementary School, a teacher put her hand on his shoulder and said, “Anthony, everything’s going to be OK.”

Swann said throughout that year, she made him believe he could make a difference.

As he told the story, Swann suddenly stopped speaking, tears running down his face.

Then, in the audience, a woman stood up and said,

“Anthony, everything’s going to be OK.”

The fourth grade teacher had come through for him again, and as people applauded, Swann finished his speech.

He also asked that teacher — Jerretta White, who still teaches fourth grade at Schoolfield — to come on stage, where he gave her a plaque, thanking her for her help and inspiration.

“You made a difference in my life,” he told her.

Again, people applauded as White hit the stage to hug Swann, whom she sees almost every day now — Swann now teaches third grade at Schoolfield Elementary School.

School board chairman the Rev. George Wilson also addressed those attending, saying, “We are here with one goal in mind. That is to equip these young ones to go our into the world and serve.”

Dr. Sue Davis, school superintendent, listed the accomplishments of the previous year, including 713 perfect Standards of Learning (SOL) scores and 692 people who earned graduate equivalent diplomas.

She also listed initiatives for the upcoming year, such as improved school lunches that will have less sodium and more vegetables.

• Contact Denice Thibodeau at or (434) 791-7985.