Student Well-Being

Viewing an NFL Draft Pick From the Eyes of His Former Teacher

By Bryan Toporek — May 04, 2011 1 min read
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Susan Graham, a blogger for Education Week Teacher, published a touching entry last night about one of her former students, Torrey Smith, who was just drafted by the Baltimore Ravens as a wide receiver this past weekend during the NFL draft.

Smith came from a difficult background—his mother had him when she was only 16, and he had to help out with his younger siblings during his middle school years—but Graham says that he remained polite, hardworking, and modest throughout.

There is another consistent pattern in Torrey's life. All along the way, coaches and school communities supported and mentored him. Every coach who has worked with him mentions his work ethic, positive attitude, and personal humility.

Check out Graham’s full piece here. She raises some especially poignant questions at the end of her entry regarding extracurricular activities and what makes people succeed.

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A version of this news article first appeared in the Schooled in Sports blog.