Having the skills to see a young person’s potential and shapethem into a shining star earned a Brookhaven High School teacherstatewide recognition recently.

Carol Clanton was named the 2002 Outstanding Speech, Drama andDebate Educator by the Mississippi High School Association forproviding “Mississippi’s youth with exceptional opportunities forsuccess.”

“I have a real talent for getting the right material to theright person,” said Clanton, who has taken the BHS Forensics teamto national competition the last several years.

Clanton first realized she could lead people in a positivedirection on the stage in college. Clanton’s freshman and sophomoretheater instructor at Tex-Arkana Junior College, Jodie Parsons,believed other students looked toward Clanton for guidance.

“She saw something in me,” said Clanton.

That “something” was not fully developed until after Clanton hadraised a family and was 42 years old.

She decided to try her hand at teaching and got a job as theforensics teacher at Bailey Magnet School in Jackson.

“I built that program up and left it in good shape,” she said,about the school she worked for nine years.

Her move to Brookhaven came after a suggestion from Glen Menna,the speech and forensics instructor at Lawrence County HighSchool.

“I give Glen Menna in Monticello all the credit for where I amtoday because he’s the one who encouraged me to come toBrookhaven,” said Clanton.

She admits her success at BHS comes largely from theextraordinary students who have come through the doors of Clanton’sclassroom.

Clanton sees her time with the students as an investment,whether in the capacity of mock trial, youth congress, homecomingor spring musical, all of which she is in charge of at BHS.

She wants to develop passion in her students for life, forschool and any other endeavor they may face, especially on thestage.

“If you give me a five by five space with passion, I’ll give youtheater,” said Clanton, reciting a phrase she heard Parsons saymore than 30 years ago.

The element Clanton loves most about teaching is discoveringwhat a student is made of and how they can develop into so muchmore.

“It’s like harvesting a pearl. It’s eureka when you find one,”said Clanton.

This year she found three pearls. On Friday, Clanton will watchnervously outside closed doors to see how forensics students ShaunAdams, Brandon Russell and Ryan Adams do against tough competitionat the nationals.

“You get these little priceless children and you get to be apart of their precious lives for just a little bit,” she said.

Clanton always tries to make the most out of every school year.She can often be found at the school working on material untildark.

She has been nominated for the state’s outstanding educatoraward several times.