PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Prairie View A&M University graduate student James A. Whitcomb Jr. has been named Rookie Teacher of the Year at Clark Elementary School, part of Spring Independent School District, where he teaches fifth grade English.
Currently a second-year graduate student at PVAMU, Mr. Whitcomb will earn his master’s in curriculum and instruction on May 10.
The award for Mr. Whitcomb is a sign.
“For me, it is confirmation that I am fulfilling my purpose in life,” he said. “My biggest concern was to be an effective and impactful educator and not just a ‘body’ within the classroom who happens to be a Black male. For me, the award/recognition serves as confirmation from God that I am exactly where I am meant to be.”
Mr. Whitcomb’s first classroom teaching experience came in 2022 when he saw a part of himself reflected in his students.
“I saw their dreams, their abilities, and untapped potential,” he said. “It was a moment of equal exchange, where I was reminded of my childhood. I was a representation of what they will achieve and accomplish.”
Mr. Whitcomb holds a BA in child development from California State University, Sacramento, and was previously an instructional student assistant at California State University.
He was also a part of the Kaiser Permanente Launch College Intern Program in 2019 and the Student Academic Success and Educational Equity Programs at CSUS. Outside of education, he’s served as a YMCA referee and a firefighter in Arizona. His life took him from Chick-fil-A to the United States Postal Service before he found his calling in education.
“I wanted to teach English Language Arts and Reading because words have the power to create and destroy,” he said. “To truly understand oneself and the world around us, we must be able to articulate our experiences and feelings.”
But he didn’t always value the importance of education. Growing up, he said he was more focused on friends and sports. It wasn’t until he “matured” that he began to appreciate the power education holds to change lives.
“During my sophomore/junior year in college, I began to see the opportunity my journey in education had provided for me,” Mr. Whitcomb said. “I was applying theories and concepts I learned within my studies to uncover and discover truths about myself and experiences.”
More than that, he saw how education can make all the difference. “At the same time, I saw the opportunity I had been blessed with, while individuals I knew from back home felt ‘stuck,’ searching for avenues to redefine their current situation,” he added.
He aims to invest in the future generation.
“I enjoyed seeing the potential, aspirations, and dreams of my students,” Mr. Whitcomb said. “Furthermore, I understood I was coaching and instructing future doctors, lawyers, educators, practitioners, judges, artists, engineers, and scientists.”
Now, he is motivated by a mission bigger than himself: “The opportunity to serve and contribute toward something bigger than myself is more than I could ask for,” he said, adding it is humbling to see his students grow physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Among his role models are Jesus Christ and his high school principal, Mr. Thomas, a Black educator and a man of faith.
“Mr. Thomas met me where I was at and saw me for what I could be,” Mr. Whitcomb said. He hopes to be the same for the next generation of students.
Yet, the biggest challenge, he said, is inspiring students to believe in their own potential for greatness by sharing how he was once in their shoes.
“If not for my elders, who had seen my potential and spoke life over me, I would not be where I am today,” Mr. Whitcomb said. “So, I just view it as me returning the favor.”
As a teacher, he wants to be more than one that focuses on test scores. “Students today need educators who care about them, where they are at, and where they can go in life,” Mr. Whitcomb said. “The classroom just happens to be the setting where we encourage them to become all that they can and push society in a direction favorable for all.”
The biggest lesson he wants his students to take away from his classroom? “Understanding the value and significance that their thoughts and actions have,” he said. “I would want them to walk away, remembering that they are responsible for what they achieve in their lifetime.”
Click here to view more of this semester’s notable graduates.
By Christine Won
-PVAMU-