Last Friday I was introduced to the legendary Austin Walker. The soft-spoken MTC participant is famous around here for astonishing success in introducing the first ever Latin program to the poverty-stricken Mississippi Delta community of Hollandale. Prior to meeting Austin, I thought this seemed like the most unlikely place to find any Latin program at all, let alone the winner of the Magnolia State's high school Latin examination and six top finishers on the National Latin Exam.
Austin sat down to talk with Larissa and I about his teaching and success in the Delta. A graduate of the University of North Carolina, he was signed up to teach only English at Simmons High School. However, during his first year teaching he encouraged a handful of students to study Latin with him as well (the first Latin program in school history). The hard work of Austin and his students clearly paid off as Alexis Hicks, then a 15-year-old sophomore, outscored students from established programs to take first place on the Mississippi State Latin exam. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that out of his nine students who took the National Latin Exam, six scored in the top forty percent nationally.
I took the National Latin Exam several times myself and scored quite well. My brother did too. But then again, we both attended Waynflete, a relatively affluent private school with a long history of an outstanding Latin program. I certainly do not think we ever had the 67% award rate that Simmons did after Austin's first year.
One of Austin's students received a first place gold medal, Summa Cum Laude; a second student won a second place silver medal, Maxima Cum Laude; while three other students all won third place, Magna Cum Laude honors; and yet another student won fourth place, Cum Laude. I was blown away by these results. Austin told us that Simmons was the only public school in the Delta to take the National Latin Exam. Only students at the Washington School, a private school in the Delta, also took the best but won just two awards. What Austin's students’ success demonstrates is that in every school district there are students whose potential is simply not realized. These students can clearly compete with anyone in the nation; all they need is the opportunity.
Sharing the good news with his students was an experience, as well. The kids were elated to find out how well they did, Austin said. He recalled that one student was in the cafeteria when the results arrived. When he sent someone to go and tell him how he did, he refused to leave the cafeteria because he thought that they were pulling his leg or making fun of him. He simply did not believe that he could do so well.
This is a true story of success, "the type that movies are made out of," says MTC Program Direction Ben Guest. Unfortunately, not every school has a teacher like Austin. But thanks to MTC, more and more bright and dedicated teachers are filtering into the critical needs public schools in the Mississippi Delta. Hopefully, this success has at least offered all of Austin's students a bit of self-confidence. For they have demonstrated that they are among the most elite Latin students in the country.
On another note, I am really looking forward to this coming weekend for a trip to the Walker family farm! Austin has invited the entire MTC crew of about 60 to spend the day and night at his 500+ acre farm located just outside of Holy Springs. I have heard rave reviews from past farm weekend trips and I can't wait to experience it myself. Look forward to reading about this trip in next week's post. There will be a crawfish boil and shootin' on the range!
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