Athena Davis

Position: Adaptive Physical Education Itinerant Teacher
School: Pendergrass Fairwold School
School District: Richland County School District One
City, State: Columbia, South Carolina
About the Nominee: For over 30 years, Athena Davis has been serving the Richland County School District One. In her position at the Pendergrass Fairwold Schoo,l she helps countless students learn how to take care of their physical and emotional health, as well as instilling in them the importance of perseverance. In the beginning of her career, Ms. Davis taught Physical Education and Human Growth and Development classes to high school students and coached girls volleyball and track. For many of the young girls she coached, her home became a safe haven where they could go to feel safe and wanted. Even now, many of these students still call, write, or come to visit Ms. Davis.More recently, Ms. Davis has been working with disabled students on physical education. Since the mid 1990s, she has worked as an Adaptive Physical Education (APE) teacher, traveling daily to seven locations to work with 78 special needs students within the district. Some of her students are profoundly disabled, but Ms. Davis works tirelessly to make sure these students have fun and learn. Teachers at Athena's APE schools note the value their students gain from her visits. Not only are they more focused in the classroom, they also gain a sense of accomplishment and a boost of confidence and well-being. Ms. Davis celebrates the accomplishments of her students. She truly cares for children and always works to find ways to reach them. Through her coaching and teaching, Ms. Davis has touched countless lives.[nominee_videos nominee_email="pandora197473@yahoo.com"]