Hooray for Devin Delbridge!

The L.C. Bird High School rising tenth-grader equates success with giving. Inspired by the late Richmond postal clerk-turned-philanthropist Thomas Cannon, Devin is one of many students feeling the ripple effects of Cannon’s benevolence. Devin is part of Bird High’s Success Program, designed to address academic and social needs of students. Cannon was a financial contributor to the program before he died in summer 2005.

Devin and his Success Program classmates recently raised about $1,000 and helped a classmate whose father died, giving $600 in gift certificates to the family. The students spent the remaining money to buy items for the Pediatric Unit at VCU Medical Center.

The youngsters have tapped into Cannon’s philosophy of helping. Through the Success Program, “I’ve learned to be grateful for what I get and share with people who are less fortunate,” said 15-year-old Devin. Students caring for their classmate resulted in compassion as well as participation, Devin said. “They understood that he was going through a hard time.”

This all started because the students have learned of Cannon’s good deeds, helping people facing hardships throughout the Richmond area with monetary gifts, usually $1,000. Success students followed through by creating the Thomas Cannon Fund.
Matt Bland, who directs the Success Program at Bird High and Manchester High in Chesterfield County, said the goal of the Cannon Fund is to teach young people about philanthropy, in addition to academic and social skills.

I have a feeling Thomas Cannon would have graded the Success students with an “A.”