Abbeville High’s Brown recognized by Kiwanis Club

As soon as he walked in the room, a guest at Tuesday’s Abbeville Kiwanis Club meeting, Abbeville High senior Kavon Brown shook the hand of everyone inside it.
“That’s respect,” Brown said as to why he took the time for the gesture. “You have to give respect to get respect.”
The Kiwanis Club showed some of that respect to Brown, naming him its Student of the Month. Along with a sign to place in his yard, Brown received a gift card to Sonic in Abbeville.
“I really appreciate this,” Brown told the Kiwanians. “I thank God for the opportunities I have and try to be an inspiration to others.”
Brown does that as a member of the Abbeville Wildcats football team, playing both running back and safety. He is a three-year starter. Brown helped the Wildcats (1-1) to a 58-21 victory over Berwick last Friday, a little more than a week after head coach Gary Adkins announced that he has cancer.
“As seniors we are trying to stay together,” Brown said of the team’s mentality. “Coach is going through what he’s going through, but we told him we need him. He told me that he needs us.
“We are going to move forward.”
Abbeville Principal Ivy Landry said Brown is one of the student leaders helping to move the school forward to great things.
“He is doing an outstanding job in the class room and is a leader in the school,” Landry said.
Landry gave what is said is a perfect example of Brown’s leadership.
“He is a senior leader and mentor for our freshman,” Landry said. “We had orientation during the summer. One of the things is Meet the Principal, where the kids have to come listen to one of my talks. There was a big crowd and Kavon was one of three people left to walk in and there was only one chair left. It is him, another boy and one girl. The boy sits down. Kavon told the boy to get his behind up and let the girl sit down.
“Where do you see that with our teenagers today?”
Landry said he stopped his session and told the students that is exactly what he is looking for in an Abbeville Wildcat.
“That’s the kind of person Kavon is,” Landry said.
Brown explained the basis for the young man he is and the man he is becoming.
“My mom,” he said without hesitation. “My mom taught me how to treat people and how to act.”
Landry agreed.
“He’s got a mom who stays on him pretty good,” Landry said with a laugh.
Kam Antoine attended the Kiwanis meeting to watch her son speak.
“I am very proud of him,” Antoine said as she fought back some emotions. “I am definitely proud of all that he does.”
After he graduates from Abbeville High, that will include going to college to become an engineer. He is not giving up on football, either. He is looking at options that include Nicholls State University, Louisiana Tech and Northwestern State University.
“I’m still looking,” Brown said.
Nicholls State does have a standout culinary school, which falls in line with something else Brown said he enjoys.
“I like to cook,” he told the Kiwanians.
While he did not have a quick answer as to what is his favorite dish to prepare, he did not hesitate when asked about his mother’s best dish.
“Potato salad,” he said with a big smile. “She doesn’t like to cook it any more because there is a lot of stirring and it wears out her arm. I step in and stir it.
“I love her potato salad.”
Brown will certainly continue to step up on the field for the Wildcats, who travel this Friday to face Welsh.
“I’m looking forward to the rest of the season,” Brown said. “We’re going against Welsh on Friday night.
“Hopefully we can come out with a win.”