Produced & edited by Anne Bannister; cinematography by Anne Bannister, Brian Diggs, & Karen Wang; interview by Christina Dunigan; assisted by Briana Mascitelli

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Christina: What would you like to say to each other that maybe you don’t say or maybe haven’t said enough?

Jeffrey: That I’m watching, that I’m proud of him. I may not say that enough. I tend to observe a lot. I think I need to say I’m proud of you more often. And that I’m grateful for you being here to share some experiences that many siblings in this community, or in this city, may not get to do. To be able to be a part of your life as an adult has been an incredible ride, and I’m super proud of you.

LaDarrington: Thank you, bro. One thing I would say to you that I feel like I don’t say enough is, “Thank you.” Thank you for the sacrifices you have made in life for me to be where I am today and for everything you’ve done for me in my life.

Jeffrey: You’re welcome.

Christina: What’s something that you’ve learned from each other over the years?

LaDarrington: I’ve learned a lot from my big brother. I’ve learned a lot about having ambition. I’ve learned a lot about having that drive when you really want something. One thing I learned growing up with my brother is sacrifice, because that’s all he did for us was sacrifice. Even when he was in high school, when he went to college, even now – just sacrifice. He always made sure that we were taken care of. If we needed something, “Hey, I got it.”

He took us to the mall and spent his first check on us. That was something that I was like, “Wow, I wouldn’t have done that.” But I’m so glad that he did. It taught me not to grow up selfish.

Christina: What brings you most joy from being a teacher?

LaDarrington: As an educator, every single year that you’re going through school, you’re leaving an impact on somebody. Whether they finish high school and go to trade school or college or get a job right away, at the end of the day, they are going to remember something that you told them. You left an impact on that person’s life and gave them something that they can carry on and share with their children or siblings that will help them.

Jeffrey: My biggest thing is just prepping them for life after high school, and giving them advice and resources that they can implement within themselves. 

I just bumped into a couple of my former students who are 25 now. We were just having a normal life conversation. “What have you been up to? How’s life? What have things been like?” “Hey, I remember when we talked about this, and you said that the challenge was going to be here.” For me, that’s probably the greatest and most joyful thing that I get out of knowing that I’m preparing them and that when that seed or that information grows later, and we can have a conversation, whether it’s two years later, three years later, or seven years later.

Christina: What’s something you’ve learned from each other as educators?

LaDarrington: My brother, being a teacher, has really shaped me. When I first started as an in-class support teacher, I watched him in the classroom, and I said, “Okay, so now I need to take what he’s doing and I need to implement it in my classroom, but in my way.”

Jeffrey: When I go and I see him and I’m looking, one of the things that I see is the way he cares – his passion to be there for his students and life skills. It takes a person with a big heart, a kind heart, a patient heart, because each day is different when you’re dealing with kids with special needs.

When I see that and I pay attention. I come down during my conference period and just stand in the door and watch. I’m like, “Okay, I have to remember to be patient because I have tenure in the educational field.” He reminds me, “Hey, still be patient, still be kind, and still show them your heart.”

Christina: When did you first feel called to servant leadership?

LaDarrington: I would say it came from my grandpa, because our grandpa played a huge role in raising us. I always remember when my papa said, “Well, I tell you what, when you finish high school, you’ve got about two options. Either you’re going to come out here with me in these woods and work, or you’re going to go to college.” I didn’t see myself driving a bulldozer, trying to knock down trees, and loading 18-wheelers. I said, “I’m going to take the college route.” 

Seeing my grandpa wake up at four or five o’clock in the morning, to me, it showed that was a man who was going out in the community and doing whatever he had to do for his family. It let me know the type of man I wanted to be for my family. I want to be that person who can get out there and provide.

Jeffrey: Adding on to that, I think about my grandpa, my grandparents. My grandparents have been married for 59 years. They’ve been together since they were 18, 17 years old. They have both been servers and providers in their own way. 

So, for me, I wanted to show my brothers, “Hey, let’s do this.” And then it just corresponded into being a teacher – serving and giving to others that are around you. I think they get a sense of pride in seeing both of us as teachers, and they can brag about us being teachers and know that there’s a pathway other than sports to be successful in life and to give to others in different ways and give value. 

One of the things that makes me proud to be in the educational field is that my grandmother always talks about how she wanted to be a teacher. I never knew that growing up. We didn’t know that. Then, when we got into the field and she shared that with us, it was like, “That’s amazing.” I cherish that.