Macon Change <> Everett

On a cold yet beautiful November Georgia morning, I met up with a buddy who is currently a middle school math teacher at Howard High School.  His goal is to become superintendent of Bibb County, a position made infamous by the shady antics of the previous superintendent Romain Dallemand. 

His motive is simple. To help the youth of Macon, GA to stray away from the street and into education. His story starts not in school but rather in an unconventional place. The tennis courts. 

Playing tennis all his life, He made like-minded friend and created for himself a sense of purpose and self-confidence. His tennis expertise allowed him to help the Howard High school team his junior year advance to the Final Four of the Georgia AAA tennis tournament. 

Reflecting back, He realized the blessing his upbringing in tennis and how it allowed him to not get into the “pit traps of Macon”. The hours of practice along with his teammates created a sense of family. A bond that to this day is still strong. Realizing that this bond is needed for the youth of the city. He decided to share and preach it to kids who are experiencing the opposite and fleeing to gangs and violence to fill that void. 

After High School, Everett got accepted to Morehouse College. There, He learned the “Morehouse Way” which are two things. 

“Low aim is sin”

“As a Morehouse man, to aim high” 

With this instilled into his mentality and his calling to come back home, He decided to forge a career path to become Bibb County superintendent. To change the city from within.

His biggest vision for the city is to change the perspective. He states that the kids he teaches and in general have a lack of empathy. A lack of self-respect and confidence which is popularized in mainstream culture and the city itself. He wants to change that, to influence the kids to not hate themselves and being from Macon. With the quote “it takes a village to raise a kid”, he emphasized the village part and want to speak it into existence. That the city will become a haven for raising kids who will change the world.

Everett posing in front of the tennis courts He grew up practicing in

“We are so obsessed with the product that we forget about the progress”

Everett is a huge believer in grace and this quote “Hurt people hurt people.” Reflecting back on his past, the people He lost to gang violence, and his calling to education. His motto of Work in Progress is to encourage not only himself but those around him including his students that you can better yourself and the community you are in. To serve others and the community.

Note:

Since Thanksgiving, Everett has accepted an offer to become the head tennis coach of Howard High School.