As a teacher at Charles Henderson High School, I have had the pleasure of working with Cameron Whitlow for the last seven years. As a parent, I am thankful for the influence he had on my children and their friends. I hope the people of Troy truly understand just how blessed we are to have had this man working with our children.

One of my favorite stories about Mr. Whitlow came during a tornado warning. We had already been in the hall long enough for the students to get restless and a little noisier. Since my room is at the far end of our hall, I didn’t see anything at first, but I heard a hush fall near the entrance and trickle our way until there wasn’t a sound. I looked up and saw Mr. Whitlow standing with both hands on his hips by the door. Everyone just looked and waited, knowing exactly what our resident Marine expected. He simply turned around and left to check on the next building; quieter talking trickled back down the hall. It was amusing, but respect was given and returned without a single word.

In addition, Mr. Whitlow always goes the extra mile for students, parents, and teachers. Most people probably don’t know that Mr. Whitlow created a parent class to help the guardians of at-risk students know how to support their children. He designed it, led it after hours, and brought in community members to speak on issues like nutrition and study habits.

Mr. Whitlow also inspires students. One of my creative writing students chose to write a dramatic monologue about Mr. Whitlow which told of his struggles growing up in a less-than-perfect home situation to becoming the strong leader he is today. A CHHS drama student performed it at our Black History Month program, and it was truly inspirational for our student body.

Another time, he came into my classroom and took the vocabulary test with the students to motivate them. I was sure when he saw that it was a 50 question review unit test, he would suddenly get a phone call; but he didn’t. He stayed and showed the students that learning is a lifetime commitment. I have been in education for 23 years and grew up in a family of educators; Cameron Whitlow is one of the finest administrators I’ve ever known. We wish him only the best at his new school, and I sincerely hope he will find his way back to Troy City School in the future.

With deepest respect,

Karla Johnson

CHHS English Teacher