LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Sometimes life does truly come full circle. Years ago, Dorian Hairston sat in this classroom as a 4th-grade student at Veterans Park Elementary School. Today, he was invited to share his experiences with the kids as part of a Black History Month celebration.
“To get an opportunity to show the kids that people who look like me can do great things, and put into their minds, 'I can see myself in 20 years doing this thing,'” Hairston said following one of his sessions with the kids.
Hairston is a former University of Kentucky baseball star, who is now a teacher for Fayette County Public Schools. He’s also an accomplished writer.
The school brought in several highly decorated African Americans from the area to share their experiences. It was a first for the school.
“We try to diversify our work staff here, but we also need to see beyond the walls of this building,” said Molly Dabney. Mrs. Dabney is the principal here and was the 4th-grade teacher when Hairston was in the class.
“I probably drove her bonkers,” he said. (She confirmed that by saying she never forgot him).
Others like Tee Dee Young, a talented musician from Lexington, and LEX 18 news anchor, Larry Smith, also spoke to the students.
Smith, is one of the more accomplished Black male broadcasters in the industry with a career that has included stops in Washington, D.C, CNN, and Turner Sports. It was obvious that he enjoyed his time with the kids. Mr. Young did too, playing the guitar and making up the lyrics as he went along.
“My music is for everybody,” said Young, who also owns Tee Dee’s Lounge in Lexington.
“Everybody loves music, and it brings people together,” he explained of his message to the kids today.
