Dr. Darren Kennedy was named as the first African America principal to work at a Williamson County middle school. He said his mission is to encourage students to be life-long learners and local leaders.
Dr. Kennedy, 38, is Grassland Middle School's sixth principal.
Kennedy said growing up, his parents pushed education on him.
"They were blue-collar workers and my parents just stressed go back to school, go back to school, school is important," he said.
Kennedy said he sees himself as a role model for other African-American children and an educator to all.
"The legacy that I would like to leave is that for other young African-Americans who are aspiring to be a teacher or for teachers who are aspiring to be in administration my thing for them it's doable," he said.
Prior to working in Williamson County, Kennedy was the principal at McKissack Middle School in Metro Nashville.
He was named Principal of the Year by the Greater Nashville Alliance of Black School Educators. He has served as the Transition Specialist for Alternative Schools for the district and served as a uniformed police officer for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
