Josh Hall ’14 says his decision to become a schoolteacher was largely influenced by the many mentors who, throughout his life, encouraged him and provided a positive example for him to emulate.
Now in his first year as a fifth-grade teacher at Flowertown Elementary School in Summerville, S.C., Hall now sees himself as a role model for the students in his classroom.
A native of Florence, S.C., and an elementary education major at the College, Hall was a member of the Call Me MISTER Program, SPECTRA and the men’s basketball team. He recently penned an essay for the College in which he fondly recalls those who helped shape his life and career choice:
“The Call Me MISTER Program was more than just a program for me – it was a chance to grow into an educator and a better person. Coming to the College, I was a wide-eyed teenager with the world at my fingertips and no idea which direction to go. Lucky for me, I attended a liberal arts school that gave me a chance to experience many different fields of study. After getting involved with the School of education, Health, and Human Performance, I was immediately introduced to Rénard Harris and former state representative Floyd Breeland. They took me under their wings. During my three years in the Call Me MISTER Program there was a lot of time to self-evaluate and reflect on the question, why teach? The honest answer is, to return the favor.”
“I remember my many mentors from over the years, such as Thurmond Williams, Coach McCoy, Charles Ivory, Rico Hall, Rénard Harris and Stephen Popadich. These are just a few of the people who helped me become who I am today. Now, every day at Flowertown Elementary, I have 52 children who look to me for guidance, and I can’t help but think about and use the same advice and patience my mentors used with me.”
“So far, this year has been an amazing experience and an opportunity to learn, but I can’t take credit for the ‘success.’ the credit belongs to the people who surrounded me as a child and into adulthood. When I teach, my students see them, because I am a reflection of them. That is why Call Me MISTER is so special. We all come from different places, we all have our own reasons for teaching, but what we all have in common is being mentored by upstanding people. Now it’s our turn to give back and change the world, one student at a time.”
Josh Hall’s essay first appeared in the Winter 2015 issue of Momentum.