'It was like we won the Super Bowl:' Viral classroom video sparks hope across the country
It was a long day of hard work in Mr. Dwayne Taylor’s second grade classroom at Biscayne Elementary School in Jacksonville, Florida. Students were growing desperate during their second attempt at scoring some free time after lunch.
"I said, ‘You can ask anybody in the class, but they have to get the answer right,’" Taylor, the second grade teacher, shared with FOX 5 New York.
Between the class and their second shot at free time was little Harlie McCary – and the right answer to Mr. Taylor’s math problem.
"If Harley gets it right, then we can have free time," Taylor can be heard shouting to his students in a now-viral video.
"I was very nervous, and I was very excited at the same time, but I didn’t feel no pressure because I already knew the answer," McCary told FOX 5.
McCary and her entire class knew the answer but after confirmation from her teacher, the class exploded with screams of joy and laughter, jumping all over each other with excitement,
"I was very excited, and it was like we won the Super Bowl," McCary recalled.
Mr. Dwayne Taylor’s second grade classroom is pictured celebrating in a now viral video recorded at Biscayne Elementary School in Jacksonville, Florida.
In the video, you could see little Judah Johnson crying inconsolably.
"When she had got the answer right I started crying because she had got it right, and we got to have free time after lunch," said Johnson.
"With this video going viral like it is, inspire other people to just be good, kind-hearted people, (and) to motivate people," Taylor said.
Celebrities like Iyanla Vanzant, Tabitha Brown and Robert Griffin III all reposted the viral video with millions of views already.
Taylor showed that the right teachers truly impact students.
"Sometimes I wish he could come with us to the third grade," McCary's classmate, Carter Sellers, said.
Sometimes, while learning, stars are born. And sometimes, students can teach the adults.
"That kind of taught us as adults as well. Teamwork makes the dream work. If we all work as a team, we all root each other on, we can be all be successful all together," shared Shantal McCaskill, Sellers' mom.
"Always be nice to each other and always be kind," McCary added.
"I would tell the New Yorkers to be kind to each other, so they can always be good and to the New York kids in school, so they can motivate each other and always be kind and support them," Johnson told FOX 5.