ROCKY MOUNT, Va. – Once face-to-face with homelessness and lost in the foster care system, education saved one local teacher’s life. Every day as a working adult, Anthony Swann has the goal of using his passion to show students how education can change and save their lives, just like it did for him. The Franklin County teacher works at Rocky Mount Elementary. In the last year, he has been named district teacher of the year, state teacher of the year and has been appointed to the state board of education. Swann considers his students his children and recognizes his role and representation as a Black man.

“It’s time to find a path forward to in-person learning,” announced Gov. [Where are Virginia’s coronavirus cases? Northam said the March 15 date is not a mandate, but rather a direction to Virginia’s school divisions. The CDC, Dr. Fauci and President Joe Biden have all said it’s possible to have safe in-person learning, said Northam. Northam also thanked teachers for what they’ve done during this pandemic and many have taught in-person and navigated the new world of virtual learning.

If you tune in to NBC’s “Nightly News” on Thursday night, you might see a familiar face talking to Lester Holt. Anthony Swann, a fifth-grade teacher from Rocky Mount Elementary, will be featured on the popular newscast for its tribute to teachers. [‘Teach for the love of your children’: Franklin County teacher named Virginia Teacher of the Year]The Franklin County teacher was recognized as the 2021 Virginia Teacher of the Year back in October. When Holt questioned him about his approach to teaching, Swann answered: “So every day I see my children, I affirm them. And I am important.’ And so I just let them know that sometimes in life you’ll experience challenges, but remember that you’re smart.”To catch Swann’s segment, watch “Nightly News” on Thursday, Dec. 17, at 6:30 p.m. You can also watch it here.

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – A local elementary school teacher has earned the state’s highest honor for teaching. Anthony Swann, a fifth-grade teacher at Rocky Mount Elementary, was named the 2021 Virginia Teacher of the Year during a virtual ceremony on Thursday night. He said he was inspired to teach after his teacher in fourth-grade comforted him during an emotionally traumatizing moment. Swann returned to Virginia in 2015, teaching at Johnson Elementary in Danville for two years before assuming his current position at Rock Mount Elementary in 2017. The 2020 Teacher of the Year was Andrea Johnson, a 12th-grade English teacher at Salem High School.