Da’Vion Tatum just made headlines again by becoming the youngest director elected to the board of Spring ISD’s Education Foundation. He views this role as a gap year to gain experience in the school district that nurtured him.
“Many people feel like public education is not needed or important. I’m a huge fan of pouring back into our public education system,” he told the Houston Chronicle.
Tatum’s dedication to education deepened after he spoke at one of Spring ISD’s annual meetings, where he learned about the challenges teachers and administrators face.
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“We see what they did in HISD where you’ll have school board members who are no longer elected, but appointed if people feel that district is unable to maintain its reputation,” he remarked. “We want Spring ISD to maintain its autonomy so it’s not written off before we’re able to show what it’s capable of.”
Only four years ago, Tatum made history as Westfield High School’s first Black male valedictorian, a moment that went viral. He applied to over 20 universities, including seven Ivy League schools, and was thrilled to receive acceptance letters from all eight Ivy League institutions on Ivy Day.
Out of 57,435 applicants, Harvard accepted only 1, 968, with Tatum being one of them.
Tatum later graduated from Harvard in May 2025, earning a double major in integrative biology and history of science. He described his time at Harvard as eye-opening.
Tatum’s college experience included significant moments, such as participating as a panelist at the 2024 Democratic National Convention for the Congressional Black Caucus. Many of his peers approached him for advice, especially during the politically charged atmosphere after President Donald Trump’s election.
“I remember like it was yesterday. The current administration was removing Harvard’s ability to enroll international students. It was scary. The energy of feat and uncertainty was definitely there,” Tatum recalled. “I have friends who would come up to me and express such concern. Harvard does not do everything right, but they did fight and push back against this administration’s attempts, so these students could graduate. And get a judge’s injunction when $2.2 billion was cut in research funding, to restore those funds.”
“Harvard was very interesting. It was not what I expected, in the best way. I learned so much, and not just academically. We’re all just people, and yes, Harvard does have its geniuses, ” he added. “Harvard is known for its rigor, and made me challenge the idea of what success can look like, and what your career can be. It was like drinking from a water hose — there were all these opportunities, and you just have to try your best to catch them all.”
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These weren’t his only big accomplishments. At 13, he had already published a book titled ‘Thriving in My Own Lane,’ which helped him secure over $764,000 in scholarships from programs like the Ron Brown Scholars and Coca-Cola Scholars.
He recalled being encouraged by his college counselor, Clara Thompson, to join various organizations, including an African-American student group. This guidance helped him develop leadership skills, leading him to become vice president of Westfield’s National Honor Society and senior class president.
Now, as he embarks on this new chapter in Spring ISD, Tatum is looking ahead to his future. He plans to apply to graduate school, aspiring to become either a doctor or a lawyer.
His new role at Spring ISD will be a community-based position, Tatum explained. He’ll work out of an office in the administration building, right next to his former high school.
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