80-year-old Louisiana teacher gets surprise of a lifetime: “Prayers get answered”
This segment is sponsored by Canva and presented by CBS News Brand Studio.
Beloved high school chemistry teacher Frances Shaw retired in 2012 from Northside High School in Lafayette, Louisiana. But last year, due to a shortage of teachers, the 80-year-old returned to work.
“I thought who would hire an 80-year-old man? Sure enough, I was honored. I said, ‘I’m going to give it my all,'” Shaw said.
Photography: Leslie Westbrook/The Acadiana Advocate
Shaw, the daughter of sharecroppers who was born on the bayou, became one of the first black educators in 1972 to help integrate the formerly predominantly white North Side High School.
To students, Shaw was more than an educator, she was an institution.
“I’m an igniter. If I can inspire them to follow their dreams, then my investment has been made,” Shaw said.
Students told countless stories about Shaw and how she made a lasting impression.
One student named Mia recalled telling Shaw that she had no gas to go to the polls to vote, so Shaw gave her a $5 bill so she could put enough gas in the tank to fulfill her civic duty.
Another student, A’zeviel, commented on how Shaw’s 52 years of teaching spanned generations.
“She taught all of our coaches. She taught my mom. She taught my family and everyone said, she was a great teacher,” Azewell said.
pay it forward
Photography: Leslie Westbrook/The Acadiana Advocate
To celebrate Shaw’s tireless dedication to students, CBS News contributor David Begnaud and “CBS Morning” — with the help of current and former Northside High School students — hosted a pep talk Assembly, where she will receive a life-changing gift.
The students cheered as Shaw walked into the room. Xiao Zhan exclaimed: “Oh, you caught me!”
“Oh, that’s great. That’s great. I love you. I love you all,” Shaw told the students.
At the rally, Shaw was presented with a certificate by former Louisiana State Senator Gerald Boudreau and Louisiana Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Kim Hunter Reed, who called Shaw a “Treasure of Louisiana.” . Then-Lafayette Mayor and President Monique Blanco Boulet announced that November 14, 2024, would be designated Frances Shaw Day. Xiao wiped tears from his eyes as everyone applauded.
But the surprises don’t stop there.
Photography: Leslie Westbrook/The Acadiana Advocate
Canva, an online digital design platform, heard Shaw’s story and gave her a gift of $25,000. When Shaw accepted the large check, his jaw dropped. The company was also inspired to create the Frances Davis Shaw Community Impact Fund, which Shaw can use to distribute $75,000 in her community to help others.
this Love Our School FoundationSchools that want to invest in Paris-Lafayette also gave $100,000 to Northside High School. The news sparked jubilation from Xiao, who pointed to students who were high-fiving each other.
“Thank you is never enough. You know, Vikings, we play together, we pray together, and sometimes you think your prayers are not answered because you pray so hard for certain things and they don’t seem to happen. But as What I’ve always said to you is that in this day and age, in this way, it’s wonderful that prayers have been answered and that’s what we’ve been praying for for so many years.”
Shaw, students, faculty, staff and guests celebrated with a Cupid Shuffle. It turns out that Bryson Bernard (stage name Cupid), the singer-songwriter behind Cupid Shuffle, attended Northside High School and was one of Shaw’s former students.
contributed to this report.
