Students help coach in need

HEMINGWAY—“The most important thing we teach is that your job is to help someone else achieve success,” Maj. Edward Holmes, senior instructor of Hemingway High School’s JROTC program, said in a recent interview. “It’s difficult for kids to understand sometimes that by helping other people you do a lot for yourself, you get a lot out of it.”
If that is true, students of the Tiger JROTC benefitted greatly from activities two weeks ago surrounding the recent playoff game against Carvers Bay. Not only did their beloved football team bring home a big win for the hometown squad, but they also helped a teacher in need.

About a week prior to the gridiron showdown, Clay Owens, a history teacher and football coach for Hemingway, was hospitalized with a medical complication. Word of his poor health quickly made its way around the community, along with the news that he would soon be undergoing a $40,000 medical procedure not covered by his insurance.

During a staff meeting at Hemingway High the Wednesday before the Carver’s Bay game, administrators appealed that those present help in any way they could, starting a collection for their colleague.
It was then, Maj. Holmes said, he turned to fellow JROTC instructor Sgt. Billy Grissett and suggested perhaps the situation offered a unique teaching opportunity.
“This might be a chance for us to get the kids involved,” Holmes told the sergeant.

The two decided that proceeds from that weeks football raffle sales would go directly toward supporting coach Owens and his pending operation. Over the next two days, students from Holmes’ fourth block classes sold as many tickets as they could, approaching teachers and staff during school hours as well as taking tickets home to sell among their friends and family.
The efforts continued come game time, students standing near the stadium’s main gate selling tickets while others ventured into the stands, armed with fists full of paper stubs and the story of the Hemingway coach.

“They sold (tickets), brought the money, gave it to us, we gave them ten more,” Holmes said. “Some kids took 20 tickets. They sold that to all the people there, they brought the money back. It was a ‘full court press.’”

When sales stopped at halftime and a raffle winner was selected, the students and staff had raised over $1,000 on Owens’ behalf. After $100 was paid to the lucky ticket holder, over $900 was left for donation.

Holmes attributed the success of ticket sales to both the hard work and dedication of the students, but also as a testament to the reputation of the coach himself.
Owens, a history teacher at HHS, taught many of students involved in the raffle sales and apparently made quite an impression. Holmes said that when students heard their beloved history teacher needed their help, they were quick to meet the task.

“Coach Owens is a very popular guy,” he said. “And the kids love him!”

The response from the students and the community clearly touched the coach, who commented on the efforts the week following the fundraiser.

“Very touched, very emotional,” he said, his voice shaking slightly. “A lot of people have been supporting me.”

Owens extended his thanks to the community for their efforts, especially to the students who worked so hard on his behalf.
“The kids are here, in my heart, for real,” he said. “I love them and thank them.”

“We just told the whole JROTC program, ‘Hey, here’s what we’ve got to do,’” Holmes said, recalling the conversation he had with students at the sale’s start. “We want to do something for coach. It’s a humanitarian effort, the guy needs held… and man, the folks just came out.”

The effort was truly a community one according to Holmes, who said members of the Carvers Bay contingent made donations when they heard the story as well. But when the final dollar amount was tallied, the major said the driving force behind the success were the students.

“I just want the community to know that these kids are their kids,” he said. “And by them reaching out to someone who needs help, it tells a lot about their character… There are a lot of good things going on in this school and its not the staff and faculty, it’s the kids that are doing it.”

Holmes said the amount of money raised in the raffle was the most he remembers a ever raising at a Hemingway football game. Given the slight head start, students successfully raised over $1,000 in just under 48 hours.

The major said hopefully students will understand just how much of a difference they made.
“They don’t realize the impact that they are having on someone else’s life,” he said.