EASLEY — “We all matter.” That was the message from The Voice contestant and Greenville native Delvin Choice to a local elementary school last Wednesday.
“Who wants to be a police man when they grow up? Who wants to be a fireman? Who wants to be a teacher? A nurse? Who wants to be President of the United States?” Choice asked as tiny hands went up.
One particularly excited little boy yelled back: “I want to be Batman!”
“You can do whatever you want, you can be whoever you want — even Batman,” Choice told the crowds of cheering kids. “All you have to do is work for it. But you know, I never see you and Batman at the same place … You might be Batman!”
Third grader Alyssa just moved to the area from California.
“Who wants to go to California?” Choice asked the crowd.
Almost all of the students — as well as several of the teachers — raised their hands.
“You can do all those great things, you can go to California! But what do you have to have to do those things?” he asked. “Money. And how do you get money? That’s right — you’re gonna need a job. And to get that awesome job you want, you’re gonna need your education. Success comes to those who want to work hard for it. Do you guys want to work hard?”
The students went crazy.
Choice’s appearance at McKissick Elementary School was a reward for the student body not having any referrals for the past 20 days.
“Everybody makes mistakes,” said Choice. “But the key is to learn from them or you’ll make them again. Did I make good grades in school? No. But I graduated! Learn from my mistakes, kids.”
Prior to his appearance on The Voice, Choice, a classically trained vocalist, was awarded first place in The National Association Of Teachers of Singing in 2005 and 2006 and also claimed top honors in The Omega Talent Hunt Program for the years 2005, 2007 and 2008.
He has been a featured soloist for Greenville County Schools and was chosen as one of only five cast members in The Greenville Little Theatre’s production of “Ain’t Misbehavin” and the production of Roger and Hammerstein’s “Carousal.”