ETSU Alumnus Named Principal of the Year

PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR:

DR. CHRIS HAMPTON

“Why teach?”

Though the inquisitive individual will find that the precise number of answers to this question are equal to the number of educators in existence and no less, a universal truth ties them all together: the path to a career in education is paved with passion, devotion, and the sincere fondness for human potential. As cultivators of the generations that will inherit our communities, their responsibilities are immense. DobynsBennett High School Principal Dr. Chris Hampton with Kingsport City Schools is certainly equipped for the job. Each year, the Tennessee Department of Education recognizes exceptional individuals who provide opportunities through leadership, programs, and vision. After an extensive vetting process consisting of over 60 of the state’s top educational leaders, Hampton was selected as a recipient of the department’s Tennessee Principal of the Year Award.

“While I am humbled to have been selected for Tennessee Principal of the Year, what I am most proud of is the opportunity to highlight the incredible work the students and staff at Dobyns-

Bennett are doing on a daily basis,” said Hampton. “I am so fortunate to work in a school where the culture promotes excellence, and our focus is always student success. I accepted the award on behalf of our entire staff. We earned it together.”

Originally hailing from Erwin, Tennessee, Hampton knew from an early age that he was destined to pursue a career in education. While struggling with the uniquely arduous circumstances that come with being an at-risk youth in Appalachia, both his experiences in school and the compassionate support of his mentors allowed his dreams of a brighter future to flourish. Naturally, Hampton came to view education as one of the most powerful tools anyone could have at their disposal – one that could shift the outlook of his entire life.

“I come from a very humble background. In fact, I lived in the depths of poverty from birth through high school graduation,” said Hampton. “I was a firstgeneration college student, and public education was critical to breaking the cycle of poverty. I have always wanted to help pave the way for other students to get out of similar circumstances.”

Hampton also credits Upward Bound, a federally funded grant program that provides disadvantaged high school students the opportunities to succeed in their pursuit of higher education. It was through ETSU’s Upward Bound program that Hampton fully realized his passion for empowering others.

Hampton spent the following years honing his skills for exactly this purpose. From ETSU, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education, a master’s degree in Counseling, and a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis.

Although Hampton has served as the principal of the high school for well over a decade, his history with DobynsBennett stretches back 25 years. Driven by his desire to assist a population in considerable need of support, he initially joined the school as a special education teacher. Throughout the years, he has also served as a counselor, assistant principal, and secondary curriculum coordinator. Hampton said he discovered the scope of his influence was greater with each subsequent position, and he was always motivated to pursue opportunities that would enable him to demolish whatever barriers stood in the way of the success of any student striving to be better.

“My personal mission is to work in a school that opens its doors each day with the explicit goal of improving the lives of the students and staff who walk through them,” said Hampton. “My ultimate hope is for all students to find ambition and refuge within the walls of our schools – that they realize education is the ticket to any life they desire to have. I have been blessed in many ways by many people. I want to be that person for others.”

On top of numerous accolades earned through Dobyns-Bennett High School and a plethora of presentations over the years, Hampton also received the 2019 University of Tennessee Field Award for Secondary Principal of the Year and was named both the 2019 Distinguished TRIO Alumnus by ETSU and the 2000 TARGET Tennessee Teacher of the Year. In addition, the Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen proclaimed April 15, 2002, as Chris Hampton Day.

Briar R. Worley is Marketing and Communications Specialist in ETSU’s Office of University Marketing and Communications. | Photos contributed.