Mr. Townsel...

I had wanted to visit The Ron Clark Academy for years - YEARS - before I finally got to go.  Thanks to a grant by the Public Education Foundation, my dear colleagues and I were finally blessed to see the magic in March, 2013!  Within minutes of being inside the building, I was in tears, as I imagined what it would be like if ALL schools felt more like RCA. Yeah, you can just feel it.  There's an energy, an excitement, a deep commitment to do whatever it takes to see their students succeed.  It's evident in everything they do.

I'll never forget Mr. Townsel.  His students were amazing, without a doubt, as they rapped the periodic table!  (How did they do that?) Their passion, energy, and enthusiasm just left us speechless!  Wowzers!

It was at the end of the day, however, when Mr. Townsel left his mark on me.  You see, his classroom was home to several snakes.  Lots of snakes.  Fat, slimy, scary snakes.  Yuck!
We were visiting with him and he asked me if I wanted to hold one.  My immediate response was, "NO WAY!"  He continued to encourage me that yes, I could do something that terrified me greatly.  In the end, I did in fact, hold that snake, but I made Mr. Townsel stand right beside me the whole time!

Even without knowing him well, I know that that's what he did for everyone around him - he guided us, encouraged us, and stood beside us as we took risks.  He told us that we could do things that our fears were telling us we couldn't.

My heart is sad that the world has lost such an incredible teacher, but we are blessed that his GREAT LEGACY lives on in all of us.  Fear is something I struggle with daily, but Mr. Townsel's encouragement and compassion is something I will never, ever forget.  Rest in peace, Mr. Townsel, and thank you.