Dwayne Lovett — Paying It Forward One Student at a Time
Education specialist Dwayne Lovett knows what it takes to reach students at his North Dorchester County High School.
As an adult, I knew I could make a difference for someone in the same way. Being that person at school — interacting with students and being that role model they need — is what drives me.
— Dwayne Lovett
Since I began my journey in Dorchester schools, it’s been my hope to make a significant impact in our community. When I first began working at North Dorchester High School, I saw students — mostly male — with academic and personal problems. They came to me for advice and encouragement. I was sure other students must have felt the same and I felt something needed to be done to support them.
My goal has always been to make a difference in my community. I started an organization so that I could help the young men in our schools and they could help each other. Since 2010, the Gentlemen’s Club has been a growing trend in our middle and high schools. We’ve grown from 15 to 60 members. The success of our program has inspired other schools to start their own clubs.
My drive comes from our students. They help me get up every day at 5:00 a.m. and arrive at school with a smile. I know from my own experience what that means. When I was their age, I was that helpless, hopeless kid.
As an adult, I knew I could make a difference for someone in the same way. Being that person at school — interacting with students and being that role model they need — is what drives me.
I keep it up outside of work. I’m a member of the Good Shepherds Association, Higher Ground Drug Ministry, the Talbot County Addictions Program, and I’m the volunteer assistant program director for Mid Shore Fresh Start Recovery Center. You can also find me assisting at the Maryland Food Pantry or at my church in Easton where I’m a licensed minister and assistant choir director.
My calling has been to work with the young and for the last 32 years, I’ve strived to make a difference in a child’s life every day. I’ve served the community and youth in every stop along my career — from detention centers to group homes to our public schools. I believe I am making a difference.