Transcript
0:00 in Washington today the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honored 10 teachers for their power to inspire we asked Wyatt Andrews to tell us about one of them and the student whose life she changed morning welcome the first thing to know about Donna Porter looking good a teacher at Picayune Memorial High School in Mississippi amazing Wow is that Porter is relentlessly positive
0:31 and upbeat how about that that's great which is why everyone knew a collision was coming with a student everyone feared beating people up jumping people a gang member on release from reform school DJ batiste walked into mrs. Porter's first day of class two years ago and brazenly asked her to cheat on her husband of 30 years and I looked up and down from head-to-toe folding my arms and said well don't you think it's time for a change as if you're hitting
1:02 on her yes sir yes there that's pretty bad behavior it is so I remember thinking I need to take a deep breath I've got this got this as in DJ goes to the office no I said to DJ I said you have charisma and he said Miss P what's that and I said you can work a room and he said yeah I can show respect now he's like proud as a peacock Porter had guests in that split second
1:30 that BJ was a thug only because he wanted to be noticed so she made him the class greeter good morning how you doing today this job he showed me of saying hello to every classmate every day was the first positive attention he ever got in school she actually changed my life saying to my life where would you be now in Xela heya in jail or helm and Zell are here DJ stayed in class and graduated on time
2:00 - Cheers it was DJ who nominated mrs. Porter for the Kennedy Center teaching award an award given in the name of Broadway icon Stephen Sondheim when we showed Sondheim tape of Donna Porter and DJ batiste it brought tears why did that make you emotional well you watched you watch in action what a teacher can do look at the pride on his face that joy I don't think I've ever been that happy in my life the
2:31 greatest accomplishment of my life this young man he's gonna do great things when Porter teaches she told us she is reading her students watching for who needs help and who's behind with affection she calls them lumps of coal and believes that every one of them just like DJ could be her next Jim Wyatt Andrews CBS news Picayune Mississippi and that's the CBS Evening News for
3:03 tonight for all of us at CBS news all around the world good night you
Summary
- Donna Porter teaches at Picayune Memorial High School in Mississippi.
- DJ Batiste, a former gang member, initially challenged Porter on her first day of class.
- Porter recognized DJ's charisma and made him the class greeter, providing him with positive attention.
- This role helped DJ feel valued and changed his behavior significantly.
- DJ credited Porter with changing his life trajectory, stating he could have ended up in jail without her influence.
- DJ nominated Porter for the Kennedy Center teaching award, which she received in honor of Stephen Sondheim.
- The emotional impact of their relationship was highlighted when Sondheim viewed their story.
- Porter refers to her students as "lumps of coal," believing in their potential to shine.