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Wednesday morning saw SPS students get a surprise visit from Norfolk State University’s Men’s Basketball Team as part of their Adopt-a-Classroom initiative.

Alongside SPS officials and staff, NSU basketball players and coaches stopped by Nansemond River High School on Wednesday, Sept. 4 to adopt NRHS Independent Living Teacher Cremier Scott’s classroom, who was selected as the recipient for the City of Suffolk. The initiative is part of NSU Men’s Basketball Head Coach Robert Jones’ outreach program to support teachers in the Hampton Roads area. Jones talked about the project to Ms. Scott’s students.

“This year we are having a Adopt-a-Classroom scenario for each city in the 757, and your teacher, Ms. Scott was selected through a lot of different people chiming in and saying she was such a great teacher and they were hitting my DM and saying that we need to adopt her classroom,” Jones said. “A lot of things that you’ll see in here throughout the year, we were able to provide for her to ensure that you have a successful school year. So we’re happy about that.”

Jones also invited the class and their parents to a future game on Dec. 9 against Hofstra University. After the presentation, Scott and NRHS Principal Dr. Shawn Green both talked about being recipients of the initiative. Scott says that it all started with an Instagram video posted by Jones.

“And one of my high school classmates tagged me in the post, because I hadn’t seen it. She tagged me and by the end of that night, they had already selected me to be one of the people,” Scott said. “I told them that I was a first year teacher, and that I needed some help, and they helped me right away!”

Green talked about having NRHS be a focal point for the initiative.

“Anytime that we can make connections with the community and the surrounding universities, colleges, organizations, it’s always a positive force,” Green said. “Also, as a graduate of Norfolk State University, it always brings pride where I know where my roots are. And again, make that connection with the surrounding colleges, university and community organizations.”

Scott says that she feels “blessed” that NSU supports her and her work for her students.

“I feel blessed, I feel favored, thankful for the opportunity,” she said. “A lot of teachers don’t have everything they need all the time, and I can say I have everything that I need and I am blessed to be able to say so.”

SPS Superintendent Dr. John B. Gordon III shared his thoughts on Scott being selected for the initiative.

“I think what’s so special about it is that, other people were recommending Ms. Scott for this and the opportunity to be the only school in the City of Suffolk that’s going to be adopted,” Gordon said.

Gordon also talked about Jones helping the students during their visit.

“…I think one of the things that was so engaging to me was him ask and getting feedback from student athletes and trying to give them some advice, and inviting them to a game on Dec. 9 versus Hofstra, and then making sure that they all have supplies throughout the year,” he said. “That just shows the extended partnership, and it doesn’t hurt when several of our members of our senior leadership are also Norfolk State alumni.”