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Desse Davis (GA '93) passed away on October 16, 2023, at the age of 85. At the time of his Milken Award, Desse was the principal of Swainsboro High School in the same town where he was born and raised. His first job in education was working as a school janitor on his way to eventually becoming a teacher and coach. He worked as a math teacher, cross country, football and track coach in Emanuel County Schools for 22 years. He was the first African-American principal of SHS. During his tenure, SHS was designated a Public School of Excellence and was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. Desse retired in 1995 after 32 years as an educator, but his efforts to inspire young people continued. He became a full-time principal at the Emanuel County Youth Development Center. His students, particularly the young men he coached, were an extension of his family, and he maintained contact with them beyond their high school days.