Honor A Champion: The Power of Being Seen, James Devers’ Story
We all know someone who has touched our lives, someone who goes above and beyond to lift others up and make our community stronger. Each year, we recognize some of these extraordinary individuals at our annual Champs Celebration. Inspired by that celebration, Honor A Champion was created to extend that spirit of recognition even further. This special opportunity allows you to turn your CIS support into a meaningful moment for someone who has made a difference. Every donation made in honor of a champion directly supports students while celebrating the champions among us. It’s a simple, heartfelt way to do good together.
Not every defining moment in life feels significant when it happens. Sometimes, it’s only by looking back that we realize how much a single interaction shaped our confidence, our direction, and our sense of belonging.
For James Devers, that realization traces back to his high school math teacher at the Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center (KAMSC), Mr. Cameron Nichols.
At the time, James was navigating a challenging academic environment, one where it wasn’t uncommon for students to feel overwhelmed or unsure of where they stood. Like many students, he was finding his place, trying to determine whether he truly belonged.
One day in class, Mr. Nichols asked him a question and James didn’t think it was important, but he knew the answer and spoke up. In the moment, it felt routine. Nothing out of the ordinary.
But for Mr. Nichols, it meant something more.
He later shared that moment with James’s mother, recognizing it as something worth highlighting. That small act of acknowledgment carried far more weight than expected. It quietly affirmed something James hadn’t fully realized yet, that he was capable, and the fact that he knew the answer he felt as if he belonged in that space.
“It gave me a sense that I belonged,” James reflected.
As the years went on, Mr. Nichols continued to invest in James in ways that extended beyond the classroom. As an early adopter of graphing calculators in math instruction, he traveled to other Michigan cities to train educators and invited James to join him.
Those trips became more than just academic opportunities. They were some of James’s first experiences traveling outside of Kalamazoo, exposing him to new environments and expanding his perspective.
During one of those visits, a teacher pulled James aside and shared how meaningful it was to see him there, present, engaged, and carrying himself with professionalism. For someone he had never met to express that kind of pride in him left a lasting impression.
It was a quiet, yet powerful affirmation. One that stayed with him long after the moment passed.
Looking back, James recognizes how these experiences shaped the path he would eventually take. While he didn’t pursue a traditional role as an educator, much of his career has involved training, guiding, and supporting others.
In many ways, those early experiences became his first introduction to that work.
Mr. Nichols also helped build a strong foundation of academic confidence, particularly in math, an area that challenges many. That confidence extended far beyond the classroom, influencing how James approached problem-solving, critical thinking, and challenges throughout his life.
Even now, the impact remains present in unexpected ways. When asked a simple question like, “Who was your favorite teacher?” Mr. Nichols still comes to mind.
If given the opportunity to thank him today, sharing this story today would be his way of thanking Mr. Nichols.
Because sometimes, the greatest impact a champion can have isn’t just on what they teach, it’s on how they make someone see themselves.
The CIS Honor A Champion initiative was created to extend that spirit of recognition by inviting everyone to celebrate a champion in their life. This special opportunity allows your CIS support to become a meaningful tribute to someone who has made a lasting difference. Take a moment to honor a person who helped shape your story, or learn more today by visiting: https://ciskalamazoo.org/honor-a-champion/
Tags: CIS, Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo, Honor a Champion, James Devers
