Benedict Graduate Makes Top Ten Finalist for Greenville County Teacher of the YearCAMPUS RELEASE Damon Qualls Named Alexander Elementary Teacher of the Year: His fulfilling journey to becoming a teacher as told to Natalie Brown "When I arrived at Alexander Elementary on my first and only job as a teacher, I felt as though I had finally made it home after an exciting and interesting journey through the world of education. Staring into the faces of boys and girls who reminded me in some ways of myself, I came with mixed emotions. I embraced my new career with enthusiasm about all the possibilities and uneasiness about the unknown. But, it didn't take long, especially under the mentorship of a 47-year veteran, before I was practicing with competence and confidence what I had learned from numerous years of training and preparation. Now, I am teaching all subjects to a group of colorful firth-graders who keep me on top of my job! Although I am only a two-year teacher considered a novice by professional standards, I have spent a majority of my life teaching or working in some capacity in education. One of the first experiences that influenced my career in teaching was "playing school." For most of my childhood, I was an only child reared in a single-parent home and I longed to be amongst other children. To fulfill the void of not having siblings, I discovered great fulfillment in "playing school" with my peers. Of course, I would play the role of teacher. During those days, I took my role seriously, which began my journey into the teaching profession. Eventually, I would outgrow "playing school," but my desire to teach would continue to grow. Through various venues, I took advantage of any opportunity to practice and fulfill my passion for teaching in programs such as the Lugoff-Elgin Middle School HUGS initiative designed for middle-school scholars to tutor academically challenged elementary school students. But my interest in education was not limited to the classroom. From middle to high school, I served in leadership roles in student government as the class and school president at all levels and I served on the Kershaw County Superintendents Student Cabinet for 4 years and the District's Strategic Planning Committee, gaining invaluable experience and providing input from a student's perspective that helped the school district make vast improvements. Additionally, in my senior year of college, I represented nearly 3,000 students as the student appointed representative on the Board of Trustees for my alma mater, Benedict College. The leadership roles provided a big-picture perspective for me in how the education process works and helped convince me even more that I wanted to have an impact on the education system through teaching students in the classroom. Growing up among a circle of educators that included my mother, stepfather, uncle, and others-- I was also influenced by their positive examples and most inspired by my mother, because she overcame tremendous adversity. Through my mother's example and God's guidance, I was determined to become a teacher. A single parent who worked hard, I learned from my mother that you could achieve anything, if you believe in what you're doing. Reared in Elgin, a rural town in South Carolina where one grocery store and one stoplight really exist, I was determined to rise above my circumstances and I did because of the hard work ethic that my mother instilled in me. A beautiful hometown that I will forever appreciate, I knew that other places were awaiting my arrival, if I were going to become a well-studied teacher. But, one of the most profound reasons that I am teaching today is strongly connected to the overwhelming need for African-American male teachers in the classroom. This factor weighed heavily in my decision to accept the calling of teaching and turn down opportunities in other careers such as modeling and working in the corporate arena. So, my acceptance into the nationally acclaimed Call Me Mister Program provided me with another venue that led to teaching. I was proud to be among the first cohorts of MISTERS, a program created to recruit and train and certify and secure teaching jobs for African-American males. The Call Me Mister Program opened the doors to rich experiences for me in tutoring and student teaching youth whose faces and upbringing reflected mine. The program also helped me to gain hands-on experience serving on Benedict's NCATE accreditation team and rejoicing when the School of Education became nationally certified. Furthermore, I was a mentor to my peers who needed support and I helped tutor other students with preparing for the Praxis I and II examinations. Of equal importance, I became a national student spokesperson for the MISTERS program, generating positive dialogue across the country about the need for African-American male teachers and I assisted in helping raise significant amounts of money for the cause. More recently, I have made notable contributions to teaching at Alexander Elementary. I have established mutually respectful relationships with students and their parents and effective communication. I am proud to know that my students view me as a role model; that some tell me they wish I were their dads; that former students and parents continue to call me for help; that I am a team leader/department chair who is respected by my peers; that I am not afraid to show love, compassion, and overall passion in my work. In spite of the many awards and even national recognition from the Oprah Winfrey Show that I have garnered for my commitment to education, I am deeply honored and humbled the most for being recognized as The Teacher of the Year for Alexander Elementary School. Receiving such a highly respected award among educators is validation that I am fulfilling my purpose in life and that is to teach, teach, teach!" Source: BC Public Relations | 
