Curiosity Pays Off

In a social studies classroom I was observing at Asheville Middle School a few years ago, I sat at a small desk that had a stack of handouts on it.  Curiosity got the best of me, and I turned over one of the multi-page handouts to discover that it was a series of articles and statistics presenting the pros and cons of the death penalty.  Research from one of Watt Espy's death penalty friends (Mike Radelet) was cited a few times.  I didn't see Uncle Watty's name or anybody else's I knew, but I did find out the 8th grade student body was preparing for a debate on the morality or effectiveness of capital punishment.  To be Watty's nephew and to happen to be in that very class was coincidental I thought.  Made me smile!  Later, I sent the social studies teacher one of those big pictures of Watt Espy (the one below), hoping that it could go up on his classroom wall and be a teaching tool of sorts for the kids.

 

For more photos of Watt Espy in his office, click here.