KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

Tuesday night was proof of what the power of math could be as family, friends and colleagues came together with the Tullahoma City Schools Board of Education to celebrate and honor the 24^th Clyde W. Smith Jr. Leadership Award recipient, the late Frank Vanzant.

The school board held a celebration reception for Vanzant prior to its October meeting at the TCS Administration Building at 510 S. Jackson St. The award, named for the former school board chairman Clyde W. Smith Jr. who died in 2010, recognizes individuals in the Tullahoma City Schools family with strong ties to the community and its education.

Vanzant graduated from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor of science in electrical engineering, but not long after he transitioned into a teaching career that lasted for 45 years. He spent the first 14 years of his teaching career at his alma mater, Franklin County High School, where he taught Algebra II. After that he moved to Tullahoma High School to teach various math courses for more than 31 years, including 20 years of teaching calculus, before retiring in 2018. This year’s award came posthumously, as Vanzant died this past July at 74-years-old.

After a brief introduction from School board chairman Kim Uselton, school board member Amy Dodson talked about the brief history of the creation of the award, named after the former member school board member, and the range of other 23 recipients, who ranged from secretaries to teachers.

“These 23 individuals have impacted thousands of lives through their service in education,” Dodson said. “Tonight, the Tullahoma City Schools Board of Education is excited to celebrating yet another incredible educator who will be this year’s Clyde W. Smith Jr. Leadership Award recipient: Mr. Frank Vanzant.”

Dodson said she was fortunate to be a student when Vanzant was teaching at Tullahoma City Schools, and didn’t realize that he had an engineering degree until she talked with some of his friends about him.

“He learned really quick that sitting behind a desk was not where he was meant to be, and I’m telling you he ended up where he needed to be,” Dodson said.

She continued and said Tullahoma is blessed to have amazing teachers, but she didn’t know anyone who had touched as many lives as Vanzant.

“He wasn’t just a phenomenal teacher, but he made a connection with students that I haven’t seen,” she said. “He brought math in Tullahoma City Schools to a whole another level and it’s carrying on with his daughter and his son-in-law that continue to do it and do an amazing job.”

Dodson recalled when Vanzant received the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award in 1993 as he was someone from Tullahoma who won it.

“You don’t get where you are and win these kinds of awards without being an amazing person,” Dodson said.

She concluded by stating she read many messages from people who shared the sediment that they wouldn’t be where they were without him.

“Your dad made a difference and so tonight we want to recognize him and thank you all for coming to celebrate his life and legacy,” Dodson said to his family.

Uselton then introduced Debbie Edens, former principal at TCS, who shared some of her experiences with her longtime friend. She noted that talking about Vanzant that night was one of the best honors and privileges she’s had because he was “such an extraordinary person.” An example she gave was that she saw many students line up to take his courses.

“I had the privilege of having Frank as a spiritual partner and friend, a fellow educator, of course, and a personal friend,” Edens said.

Edens shared that Vanzant had the unique distinction of teaching an entire family: he taught her husband when he was in school, her children and herself when she made the decision to go back to college. Edens said when she looked over what courses she needed to take and realized she had several math courses classes she began to doubt herself as she didn’t remember it. She told Vanzant and his wife Sue her situation and he asked her to meet him at his house.

“We sat there from the time I got there after lunch to until time to go back to church at night, and he went back as far back as he drew a scale and talked about the balance of a scale,” she said.

Edens continued and said Vanzant was the reason she became what she is today because he taught her so much that day.

“He taught me to get my confidence, he taught me the importance of faith and he taught me the importance of humbleness,” she said. “He gave me a Sunday afternoon that I know he would had otherwise working on some problems for his kids at school.”

Uselton then read a message from the former TCS Director of Schools Dr. Dan Lawson, who identified Vanzant as a “stalwart educator and exemplary human being.”

Lawson said for all his accomplishments, Vanzant never relied on his past success and stayed focused on improvement and fought for the betterment for his students and himself.

“As I watched Frank and his students interact in instruction, I always saw joy, wonder and a tireless push to know and do more,” Lawson in his message. “Like Clyde Smith, Frank brought out the best in all around him and did so with no desire for personal attention.”

Lawson concluded his message by stating he was blessed to be in a position that allows him to be invested in young people who want to be leaders, and thankful to look to leaders and educators like Vanzant and Smith to utilize as examples of those “who tirelessly invested and left a legacy of tremendous accomplishments.”

“I am thankful for the Smith and Vanzant families shared them with us since I know both made our world and Tullahoma City Schools,” Lawson said in his message.

Uselton then recognized everyone who either were students of Vanzant, parents of students and colleagues before addressing his family by stating they all loved and appreciate Vanzant for everything he had done.

“We love you all and appreciate you,” Uselton said to the Vanzant family. “We are so happy to share the Clyde Smith Jr. Award with Mr. Vanzant here tonight.”

After a standing ovation from those in attendance, school board member Pat Welsh briefly commented and said when he first joined the school board, his son came home from college and he asked him where he felt he was in classes. His son told him when it came to his math background, his was better than everyone else and Welsh said his family owes a debt to Vanzant.