Social Impact Class Hears from Mo'Ne Davis '19

As Middle School’s second trimester ended—just days after addressing the White House's Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities alongside Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff—alumna Mo’ne Davis ’19 virtually joined in conversation with the 6th-grade girls’ CEL Social Impact course.

The former Taney Dragon/Anderson Monarch and SCH Blue Devil was asked to visit the class by current 6th grader Taylor Griggs, who was crafting a “Changemaker” profile of Davis. The students asked Davis important questions, such as if she ever felt disrespected on social media, how she deals (or dealt) with the pressure and attention of being the first female Little League pitcher, and what advice she had for middle schoolers growing up in the digital age. 

“Social media is a part of me but it’s not necessarily who I am,” noted Davis. “First of all, I don’t think you should be on social media in Middle School, I think you should take the time to be a kid, play, have fun, and enjoy the moment.” 

Davis said she was lucky to have a strong support system protecting her from those who doubted that a girl could play baseball, “I started playing when I was 7 and [my teammates] were all very respectful to me. They treated me like a sister. My coaches, my mom, and my team, all had my back and stood up for me if someone thought I was a boy or questioned what I was doing on the field. I was able to focus on playing, having fun, and being a kid.”

As a former SCH student, Davis said how well SCH prepared her for Hampton College and life beyond. “I felt like I was more prepared than my other friends in college,” she said. “Time-management-wise I was able to get all my work done ahead of time and enjoy my free time. I tell everyone all the time, ‘If it weren’t for SCH, college probably would have been a struggle for me to balance school and athletics.’ It might seem hard now, but it’s definitely going to pay off in the future.”

The class ended with Ms. Knutson asking her students for takeaways from what Davis was able to share:

“Don’t let what people say stop you from pursuing your dreams.” 
“Strive for the highest you can go.”
“Just because something hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done.”
“Surround yourself with a network of people who care for you.”
“Love a game so much that you can lose yourself in that flow.”
“Don’t forget to enjoy being a kid and just play.”