In the Easton Area School District located in Easton, Pennsylvania, there's a deficit in the administration and the teaching ranks.

Easton, like many other school districts, suffers from a lack of diversity in the ranks of teachers and administrators.

As a matter of fact, there are more black janitors than teachers currently in the Easton Area School District, and no African-Americans in the administration.

You know, statistics show that African-American students do much better when there are teachers and administrators who look like them.

Easton is no exception.

Despite not having teachers of African-American descent, these students who graduated from EASD have done exceptionally well for themselves, operating at the highest levels in the sports world.

Joining me to speak about their journey in sports at the high school, collegiate and pro levels are Chanelle Price - in 2016 Chanelle was Gatorade's female athlete of the Year.

She's a two time SEC 800m title winner and a nine time all-American.

She's the first American woman to win 800 meter gold, indoor and outdoor at the World Championships and is currently preparing for upcoming Olympic trials.

She's a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a BA in journalism.

Thank you for joining us.

Then there is Shane Simpson.

Shane broke the Red Rover single season rushing record.

He is also Easton's career touchdown leader with 85 touchdowns, and school marks for career receptions.

115 and receiving yards, 1,587.

He played at the University of Virginia earning in 2018 AP all-American first team all-purpose.

2018, coaches all-American first team, al- purpose.

2018, hero sports FCS all-American, First Team, all-purpose.

2018, all CAA football first team running back.

Second team kick return, third team point return.

2018, CAA special teams player of the year and is preparing for the upcoming NFL draft.

I could probably go on with both of their accolades all day long.

I didn't even give all of Chanelle's, but we were just really happy to have you.

Shane, you recently graduated in 2020 with a BA in sports management, double minor in business and psychology, and you're in the process of obtaining your master's degree at the University of Virginia.

Thanks for taking the time to join me this morning.

I want to jump right in because there's so many questions that I have.

Chanelle, I want to ask you about your high school experience as an African-American student growing up in the Easton Area School District.

Did you experience racism at all?

I know that athletes, you know, get some special treatment.

But did you have to deal with any racism at all within the school district?

- Like you said, as athletes, we are highly respected, especially in the Easton School District, I think on the academic side...

..I was in advanced placement classes and I was one of the very few black students in Advanced Placement classes.

So that was tough.

I don't know if I ever really experienced any racism, but I don't think as black students that we're really expected to be in those top level academic classes.

So it was hard being one of the only ones in those Advanced Placement classes.

- Yeah, I can imagine how difficult that is.

And especially when it comes to issues of race and conversations of race.

They asked a question.

I had that same challenge.

And then they all look at you like, well, what do you think about this?

And I'll speak for the whole black race, you know?

And I guess there's a larger problem of, you know, African-American students not getting into AP classes.

And we've had to fight some battles for some parents who had children who were qualified to get into AP.

But you need a teacher's recommendation.

And many times the teachers were not recommending our students to get in the AP classes.

Shane, for you, you would be the first African-American male in your family to complete college.

Well, you are the first African-American male in your family to complete college.

And what did that mean to you?

How did it make you feel?

- It was a blessing.

Just being the first male in my family, like you said, to graduate college is a huge honor, and especially in my family, following after my sister, who was actually the first person in my family to graduate college.

And for me to be second after her and her being my role model while growing up and still to this day, it was a blessing for me as well.

- Yeah, think about that.

I mean, you know, African-Americans have been here since 16,19.

Right?

But in your family, you'll be the first black male.

You are the first black male to complete college, and many a times student athletes end up going off to school.

Right?

They trade their athletic prowess for an education and there's a high percentage of them that do not graduate.

So kudos to you on completing and then going after your masters.

I know with the NFL draft happening, you put that on hold for a moment, which makes a lot of sense.

But of course, it's our hope that you'll go back and complete that master's degree when time allows.

Now, Chanelle, this is your fourth time at the Olympic trials.

Like, what compels you?

What's driving you to keep trying out for the team?

You know, of course, we know another Easton grad that graduated right around the same time as you just made the Olympic wrestling team.

What is driving you?

What compels you to continue to keep going and keep pushing?

- Yes, a great question, I think...

I think I truly have a gift of running.

I believe it truly is a blessing and a gift from God, and I just want to get the most out of it.

I really do.

I never want to look back and say, I could have.

I would have.

I should have.

I just want to make sure that I get the most out of these legs and that I pursue this dream of being an Olympian since I've had since I was a little girl.

I just want to make sure that I give it my all.

And if it doesn't come true, at least I can say, you know, I did the most with my gifts.

I don't want to have any regrets.

So that's what keeps me going.

I just want to reach my fullest potential.

And when I do that, then I'll be able to hang up the spikes.

- Right.

Well, you suffered some injuries in the past, right?

That kind of created some challenges for you, as it were, around the Olympics and other issues, how did you press through those moments where you suffered, and did you ever want to quit?

Did you ever want to just stop running?

- Oh, a lot of times, yeah.

I mean, these past several years have been a battle with just a few health scares and, like you said, injuries.

But it goes back to what I previously said, which is I truly believe that this is a gift and I will not walk away until I get the most out of it.

And so that's what kept me going in those times when I was injured or had some health problems, just clinging to my faith and knowing that just taking it one day at a time and knowing that it wouldn't, the injury wouldn't last forever, I could push through it.

- That's amazing.

And Shane, you too.

You suffered some injuries.

And, you know, some folks gave up and said Shane Simpson, he had a good run at it.

But, you know, he's done.

But somehow or another, you keep bouncing back, man.

You showed great resilience and proving people wrong quite a bit, like, what is it for you that gives you the strength to kind of keep bouncing back and just kind of keep giving it your all?

- Definitely.

It's just a testament to my faith, really, at this point.

The injuries sustained - I broke my ankle, tore both my shoulders, tore my knee in 2019.

And that's just a lot of injuries in anybody's lifetime to keep going for that dream.

And I know, for me, Chanelle is one of my big sisters as well, and a role model for me.

I seen what she did in her career with her injury history and just keep bouncing back.

Keep bouncing back.

So just like, how can I not, how can I not look up to that and just pursue my dream the way she is right now?

- That's amazing.

So the cool thing is you guys both graduated from the same high school, Chanelle and your sister ran on the same track team.

You happen to attend the same church when you're in town.

So that's all great stuff.

Shameless plug.

But the idea of you all just presenting such a level of excellence and resilience and resolve in times of trouble just really creates a wonderful role model for those that that are coming behind you.

Chanelle, I actually saw you on, I think it was either YouTube or something, and you were talking about your track is your sanctuary.

What do you mean by that?

That stuck with me.

And, you know, it wasn't something that I wrote down or anything, but I heard you say it, it impacted me, like in my heart.

So, what did you mean by that?

- Yeah, I mean, I think because I had so much success in high school, track quickly became my identity.

I saw myself as the track star and that's how I got my self-worth, my... That's just where my value came from.

But a few years later, when I was introduced to my faith and I understood that, you know, my track is just it's just what I do.

It's not who I am, who I am is a child of God, and that I can use this gift to worship him.

And so that's what I mean by that.

I use the track as my sanctuary and the race as my praise.

That's just how I view the sport.

I view it a lot differently now that I'm a little bit older and I understand my identity is not my sport.

- So track is something you do, right?

It's not who you are.

You're much bigger than track.

And maybe that's the drive, right, where you come to that place of peace and understanding of who you are as a human being.

Right.

You're gifted to run, but that's one of the gifts and you possess many, many more.

You're a journalism major as well.

So you must love to write, which is a gift in and of itself because a lot of people can't write.

Trust me.

I know.

So, Shane, if you're drafted, you would be the first Easton grad in the history of Easton Area School District to go to the NFL.

And I'm not gonna say if you're drafted - WHEN you're drafted, right?

How does that make you feel and what kind of emotion does that evoke for you?

- It's kind of surreal that you say that.

I actually never really thought about it that way, especially like, two weeks out, I'm just trying to keep my head down and just do what I can, control what I can control.

And that's just working out, staying in shape and just answering calls from the scouts and see what they like about me or what they're saying about me and just take it from there.

The emotions haven't hit me per se, but I know probably that week it's going to hit me all at once just because it's been a long journey and I can't wait to see where I land on in two weeks.

- All right.

You know, you just had your pro day and we were talking before the show.

And you're just coming through Covid, too.

And you look well, if you didn't tell me that you had Covid, I wouldn't believe you.

I wouldn't know.

How was that bout?

And thank God it didn't hit when your pro day was.

You know, it came a couple of weeks later.

How are you recovering right now?

- Yeah, definitely.

I'm about eight, nine days out now.

The symptoms weren't really life-threatening.

I just lost my smell on Monday, and then I just would be real tired all the time.

And just like, really bad migraines and headaches, but overall my health is really good.

My weight is still where I'm supposed to be and I'm just blessed that I didn't get any symptoms, any crazy symptoms.

- Well, thank God for that, Shane, we're glad you're doing well.

You know, we know that it can have significant effects, but you're young and strong and an athlete, so that's a blessing, a gift from God.

Now, Chanelle, you had a four-year endorsement.

I remember when Nike was your endorser, and that ended in 2018 due to some health challenges you had.

What partnerships have you established since your partnership with Nike?

And I know it's not cheap being a professional runner and trying out for the Olympics.

- Yes, yes.

I've been fortunate enough to partner with St. Luke's University Health Network as an ambassador.

The goal is to...

It's been a huge blessing.

I'm really thankful.

It's been a lot of fun.

We haven't been able to do all that we wanted to do this past year.

So, because of Covid, you know, we're really looking into putting on some clinics and getting, you know, the African-American community up and active in the Lehigh Valley.

So that's the biggest thing, just inspiring not just the African-American community, but everybody to live a healthy lifestyle.

So I'm excited to continue that partnership.

- Good.

So they're putting some money behind that, hopefully, to allow you to continue to do what you do.

- Oh, yes, yes.

- That's a blessing, right?

You know, we have an old saying in the church - Lord, any way you bless me, I'll be satisfied.

So, you know, being able to have that support is critically important.

What was it like when you were sponsored by Nike and how are you managing, not having that national endorsement?

That was a huge blessing, like you said, it's not easy to pursue this dream.

And not have the finances, so, yeah, with Nike, they pretty much just took care of everything and allowed me to focus on training and get a lot of cool gear.

Yeah, definitely.

It was a huge blessing.

I was sad when that came to an end.

But at the end of the day, it's a business and I wasn't able to compete for a few years.

And so I understood.

I understood why they didn't continue that partnership.

- Yeah.

You know, and it's a testament to your resilience.

You and Shane are just, you know, you make me want to get out on the track and pick up the football again, Shane.

You know, because your love for what you do is just so evident.

And, you know, we were talking it.

You don't arrive at the level that you're at without being passionate and having dedication, getting up every day when other folks are sleeping, and hitting the track, hitting the gridiron, hitting the weight room.

Just, it says so much about who you are and the resilience that both of you have shown.

Now, let me ask this, Shane.

You've had some other issues as it relates to not just health challenges, but you had to deal with the death of two of your best friends while you were in high school.

And I know that was devastating.

How did that impact you and how did that impact the decisions that you're making today?

- Yeah, that hurts my core, when I first heard about each one of my best friends, they both happened my freshman year, one half of my freshman year of high school, and then going into my senior year.

So just losing to two people that meant so much to me in that short span of time would definitely hurt.

But I know they're with me now and I actually have a tattoo on my chest, a cross with their initials on it, just so they're with me every day.

And I don't know if anybody saw, I wore number 11 from my senior day at Virginia this past year just to honor one of my teammates that couldn't play.

He got hurt.

And then 11 was actually their favorite number.

That's what they wore for basketball all the time.

So it was a huge honor just to wear the number, just in their honor.

And I know everything that I do now and since they died has been for them.

- Wow, that's powerful, man.

You know, those who we love, even though they leave us, are always with us in some way.

We remember the days, the laughter and the good times.

And all of that helps us to make it through those difficult days when we don't, you know, when they're not there, we can't hear their voice and we can't touch them.

That's a powerful reality.

And you having to deal with that in your freshman year and your senior year and still finding what my coach used to say, the intestinal fortitude to keep going and pushing through, speaks again volumes to your character and who you are as a person.

Chanelle, let's ask this question, because I'm sure there are some young runners that are going to be watching this show and maybe some young ladies who, you know, may have desires to arrive at the Olympic level and, you know, run at the pro level.

What would you tell your younger self, like, if you had an opportunity to talk to Chanelle, you know, as an adolescent, what would you say?

I think first I would say... ..don't be afraid to be different, don't be afraid to not follow the crowd and...

Being smart is cool, despite what people may say, being smart is cool and it's never... ..too young to set a goal and to have a dream.

You know, I've been... it's been my dream to be an Olympian since I was nine years old.

So you're never too young to set a goal.

And it's not going to be easy.

It's going to take a lot of hard work, a lot of discipline and a lot of sacrifice, but go after it with everything.

And even if you do fall short, you know, the person you become along the way is so much more important than the final destination.

So, embrace the journey and have fun.

- You know, Chanelle, funny story.

I happened to be out there, your first day of track.

And I was standing with Coach Tony and we were watching you run the turn, and Coach Tony leaned over to me.

He said, You want to see a real runner?

He said, Watch how her legs extend back and hit her in the back when she runs.

He was like, She's going to be a star.

And Coach Tony's a long-time coach, you know, there in Easton.

And he was right about you.

He was definitely right about, you know, your gifts and your willingness to just commit and be dedicated in your running career.

Shane, what's the thing that you are most proud of today?

So you've got a lot of accolades.

Of course, we could have kept reading and kept reading.

What are you most proud of?

- I'd definitely say I'll start with my degree, obviously, just me being the first male in my family, and second behind my sister, will always hold weight to me.

And then secondly, just the way I battled adversity, didn't let one obstacle hinder me.

I just felt like once it happened, it was obviously...

It was meant to happen at that point.

- Yeah.

- For me to build... For me to build myself up and be better than the person and athlete that I was before.

- That's cool.

Yeah, that's great.

I mean, being able to work on self, because as you're the best you that you can be, you can be good to other people.

So, Chanelle, I want to ask you this question.

When you think about this, this upcoming Olympic trials, where are you kind of emotionally, what are you feeling?

And we know your hopes are to be able to make the team and we believe that's going to happen.

But where are you emotionally as it relates to coming up on these trials?

- Yeah, it is bittersweet because this is going to be my last year, I believe, running, and this will be my last attempt at the Olympics.

So, sad but excited.

I'm going to be one of the more experienced women on the line.

And I don't know if any of the other women have been through the amount of adversity that I've been through these past few years.

So that's definitely going to be my fuel to make it to the finish line in the top three and make that team.

- Wonderful.

We're all going to be saying a prayer.

We consider it as already done and will be rooting for you and cheering.

Now, both of you have attained your undergrad degrees, and it's so important for our athletes because, again, so often there's so many talented high school students who succeed on the field but not in the classroom.

So, Shane, I want to come to you and ask you, how important is being a good student to being able to arrive at the level that you are at?

And then I'll ask Chanelle the same question.

- It's actually so important.

Some kids don't understand that you can have a lot of talent in the world, but if you don't have the grades to match with it, you're not going anywhere.

And that's key, because if you want to go to a high Division One school, or just Division One school in general or any school at that point, you've got to have the grades to sustain during the season and in the off season.

So that's definitely really, really important.

- Thank you for that, Shane.

And that can just be an inspiration to a student.

What about you, Chanelle?

So, at the college level, right, you had to balance between academics and athletics.

How important and how difficult was it for you to find that balance?

And what would you encourage students who may be going off to college to be able to do, to find that balance?

- Yeah, it's definitely a challenge, but I think... ..at the end of the day, you have to put academics on the same level as athletics because anything can happen in sports, and tomorrow you may not be able to.

The reality is, you know, your sport could be taken away from you at any moment, but, you know, you'll have your degree forever.

And so, yeah, I think you have to prioritize.

You should prioritize academics.

If you're not going to prioritize, at least make it the same level as your athletics.

- Yeah, because you can lose your scholarship or you can become, you know, disqualified from playing if your GPA is not where it's supposed to be.

And the question becomes, right, as you said, anything can happen.

An injury can happen, you can't play athletics, but they can't take the knowledge that you have in your brain.

And so that's so critically important.

So thank you for encouraging hopefully some students to be able to know that it's important to make sure that those grades are on point because knowledge, they say, is power and education is the great equalizer.

So, Shane, is there a team that you hope to land at, or is there a specific team you want to play for?

Are you just open to whatever actually comes your way?

- I'm open to anything that comes my way.

That's the most common answer anybody can give, but it's true.

Because you start with two teams you can't control who drafts you, picks you up.

So, any team that picks me up is a blessing in my eyes.

- Amen to that, brother.

Amen to that.

That's exciting stuff.

Last thing, what would you say to upcoming students - Chanelle, I'll come to you - that may have the desire to operate at the levels that you all are operating at?

What would be your encouragement to them?

- Oh!

I would say who you truly are is... ..is what you do when no-one's looking.

So I think I reached the level of success I am at is because I'm internally driven.

I don't really need someone watching me or someone yelling at me to work hard.

I mean, I put in extra work and I always have.

And I think that's what has allowed me to succeed at the level that I'm at.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

Shane, one minute.

What would you say to some students that are coming up, athletes that are looking to kind of go pro?

- Definitely, just don't rush greatness.

For my younger self, talking to my younger self or any younger guys and women, just don't rush greatness, because I would never guessed I would have been in college for six years or went through what I went through.

But you can't rush greatness, and just got to stay patient, and in God's time it will come.

- That's great.

That's amazing, man.

You all sound like your faith is so important to you.

I'd like to thank you both for taking the time to join me today for this very important Courageous Conversation.

You all stand as great examples for those that are coming behind you.

So, thanks again for joining me.

You know, there are many people in the Lehigh Valley that are doing courageous work to engage and enhance the lives of others.

And we would like to put them in the spotlight.

If you would like us to highlight courageous work of someone in your community, let us know by going to...

I'm Phillip Davis, and on behalf of everyone here at PBS39, thanks for watching.

Make sure to tune in Tuesday night at 6:30pm.