A Proclivity To Help
Devail Washington
Devail Washington is wired to do well – and good.
He may become an electrician, but his avocation – helping others – is equally as important to him.
It’s an unusual combination of goals for an 18-year-old, but there’s much about his life that doesn’t fit any mold.
His childhood was often “rough” – separation from his mother, placement in foster care, and stints of homelessness – but he found stability under the care of his grandmother, with caring guidance from his father, even while his father was incarcerated for 15 years.
He’s a gifted athlete – on basketball, football, and baseball teams in high school.
His high school counselor Craig Smith thought Washington would work well with younger students in Root 2 Rise. Raised in a family with 10 children, Washington agreed.
It turned out even better than he had anticipated.
“Students felt more at ease when I was there, and they were more focused on their work,” he said.
“Kids brightened up on days when I was there. Everyone felt welcome.”
The inclusiveness reflects Washington’s white, Black, and Native American (Cherokee) heritage.
Washington helped the same students for two semesters. “Mr. D.” (as students called him) also learned from younger students, particularly about math.
Washington said Root 2 Rise was the main reason he kept attending high school.
He used the stipend from Root 2 Rise to get his own apartment and now works 40 hours a week at Wal-Mart. While attending Madison College to become an electrician or learn another trade, Washington wants to become a motivational speaker and be an example to kids dealing with adversity. He encourages his brother to participate in Root 2 Rise next year.
His family has lived in Sun Prairie – ”a chill, quiet, small, peaceful” community, he said - for seven years.
Washington's optimism runs deep, a fitting trait for someone who uses adversity as an incentive to help others.