Monday night, Dr. Isaac Espy, principal at Demopolis High School, was honored as Citizen of the Year.

It’s hard to quantify qualifications for such an award, but in looking at Dr. Espy’s track record, it’s plainly obvious that the Chamber board got this one right.

The Demopolis City School System is a shining star in education in the Black Belt. And as brightly as it shines in our region, its reputation for excellence in education is unmatched on the state level as well.

During his acceptance speech Monday night, Dr. Espy was quick to recognize the support of his family, teachers, students and their families, noting he was just one player on a team sport.

Walter Payton, Bart Starr and Babe Ruth were all just one player in their respective team sports, and those teams, much like Dr. Espy’s team at DHS, found success with their leadership and guidance.

The contributions of a leader should not go unrecognized when acknowledging accomplishments of the group.

We extend a hearty congratulations to Dr. Espy. We appreciate his efforts in molding the minds of our future leaders as well as his dedication to the education of our children.