Through the corridors and walkways of Tomahawk Hall, one administrator receives much attention for his sometimes serious demeanor. However, for those who know him well, his friendly attitude and caring personality warm the students, faculty, and staff at Seminole. With a flattering outfit composed of a sleek tie, a long sleeve solid colored dress shirt, black slacks, and freshly shined shoes, Assistant Principal Leon Lavaris McCants, Jr. dominates Seminole High School in numerous ways.
As head of the Mathematics department and the graduating Class of 2012, Mr. McCants juggles many endeavors. He sponsors the Black History Committee, leads the Transition program, and still finds time to actively support the academic, athletic, and leadership organizations at Seminole. Many students see Mr. McCants as a very harsh and stern administrator, but when one takes a closer look, his down-to-earth manner and compassionate spirit can be quite captivating. Sophomore and Leadership member Divya Dhulipala said, “The best thing about Mr. McCants is that he cares so much about every type of student. He inspires us to be the best learners that we can be and works ridiculously hard to ensure that we have safe and fulfilling high school experiences and futures.”
Mr. McCants’ own experiences and goals have helped him to become a dynamic force on and off campus. Born in Dayton, Ohio on December 28, 1976, Mr. McCants always wanted to be a math teacher. He moved to Florida when he was 14, graduating from Deland High School in 1994. He received his Bachelors of Science degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. After attending FAMU, he went on to get his Masters of Science at Nova Southeastern University. But for Mr. McCants, the education process did not end there, “I am currently working on my Doctorate in Education,” he said.
He began working in education in 2000 when he was employed at Lake Brantley High School. The Patriots were actively involved with Mr. McCants; he was a math teacher, Dean of Students, and a basketball coach. After seven years, Mr. McCants started working at Seminole on April 16, 2007. “I’ve been at Seminole for five years now,” he said enthusiastically. Mr. McCants started out as the 9th grade administrator and head of the Mathematics department. “I’ve been the 12th grade administrator for four years.”
As the go-to guy on campus, Mr. McCants’ job can be stressful at times, but he loves what he does. “When you are a leader, who has a passion for education and promoting student achievement, you are always faced with challenges, obstacles, and influencing others. On the brighter side, there are a lot of wonderful and intrinsically rewarding moments as an administrator, especially being a senior administrator,” he said. Graduation for Mr. McCants is always a special time; especially for the Class of 2011, the class of scholars he first began working with. “Seeing students who come in as a freshman and then four years later walk across the stage is one of those fulfilling moments,” he said. Sophomore Kendall Ruskin felt that Mr. McCants supports and involves himself in different activities on and off campus. “Mr. McCants is really involved in the Leadership class. He always makes sure we have everything we need and is always willing to help out. He also is very involved in Mu Alpha Theta and makes a point to come to at least one competition a year and is very supportive.”
More proud moments include the Black History Fashion Show, which Mr. McCants feels “will just keep getting better and better every year,” and the Transition program, which takes incoming freshman who are having academic and behavioral difficulties and gets them on the right track. “Out of the 22 students, 50 percent of them have a grade point average of 3.0 and higher,” said Mr. McCants.
He is also proud of the Mathematics department, “They work collaboratively and always prioritize student achievement.” He loves the way students respond to adults on campus and absorbs the diversity of the student population. “There are all types of kids here. All ethnicities; I love the fact that we have a well rounded group of students at Seminole.”
With an eye for fashion, Mr. McCants has big dreams for the future, “If I wasn’t an educator, I would have done something involved in fashion. I think I suppressed that interest of mine, but I would have loved to be in the industry.” Nonetheless, Mr. McCants would love to become the principal of a school or to have his own school. “After that, I want to be the Dean of Academic Affairs at either Ohio State University or Georgia Institute of Technology.”
Senior Daniel Oyola-Guzman said, “Mr. McCants admits when he is wrong and goes above and beyond for the people who deserve it. He really cares about the seniors. He is [also] very supportive of the water polo teams here at Seminole. He comes out to our games and cheers us on.” He sends a message to his seniors, “The sky is the limit, attitude is everything, and ‘Life doesn’t require that we be the best, only that we try our best.’-H. Jackson Brown Jr.” He also shares the advice that he received from the late Raymond Gaines, executive director for Seminole County’s high schools, “Don’t get weary in well doing.” This basically means “Don’t settle for status quo, keep fighting, and don’t get tired.” Principal Mike Gaudreau also gave him much guidance and advice; “he helped me learn how to pick my battles at Seminole.”
Many would be surprised that Mr. McCants is quite different from what most students think of him. And that he has an interesting background and life. Mr. McCants was a nerd and a starter on the basketball team when he went to Deland High. He has over 120 pairs of shoes and is described by Mr. Gaudreau as “an old soul.” He is also married and has a son.
Mr. McCants is really grateful for his position here at Seminole and hopes to continue to find success in his different endeavors on and off campus. Many students and teachers respect and love Mr. McCants across campus. Health Science teacher Mrs. Jocelyn Carpenter said, “I have a lot of respect for Mr. McCants. He has always been very supportive, he obviously loves Seminole High School, and he really truly cares about the student population. I think he is extremely friendly, always smiling, and he is very approachable.”