King assistant principal and athletic director Barry Cannon received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Olivet on Oct. 4. Cannon graduated from Olivet in 1987 and has been with DPSCD for 41 years.
“I felt proud to be named a Distinguished Alumni from such a prestigious university,” Can-non said. “This was the culminating act. I truly appreciate being named this year’s recipient.
I believe this is the highest award that can be bestowed on an alumni.”
Cannon’s recognition comes because of the lens others see him through. He thrives on help-ing others and giving back to the community.
“I always have a hard time talking about my-self, because others should appreciate and value your work,” Cannon said. “But I believe I was selected because of the countless lives of young people that I’ve impacted. To my core I believe that as you climb, you should pull. Always re-member to help others and give back.”
Cannon has had an impact on many individual lives by assisting young people in developing into decent community members and parents.
“The impact Coach Cannon has in my life is significant,” junior Jaletta Smith said. “I wouldn’t know where I would be without him. He’s like an uncle. He was always there for us when it’s needed and honestly made high school much easier and smoother for us.”
Cannon said he wants students to persevere through obstacles they may face and that giving up is not an option.
“The most important thing I learned from Coach Cannon is to never think I can’t do it,” Smith said. “If I go hard, I can achieve whatever I want in life. He also taught me not to give up. I appreciate him so much, and I’m so thrilled to have him part of my life.”
