Alcorn alumnus Darian Holt featured on Nick Cannon’s Daytime Talk Show
Representing young, black men who strive towards excellence and positivity is Alcorn State University alumnus Darian Holt’s ‘16 mission. Holt was featured on Nick Cannon’s Daytime Talk Show due to his interactive viral videos with his students.
“My viral moments have resonated with many people because I create joy in my classroom with my scholars. I truly love for my class to be engaged while making learning fun for them. The videos reflect me creating that joy and fun for them in my classroom, which often leads to laughter. The videos that have gone viral always bring joy and laughter to people, and they always enjoy my unique relationship with students. I allow my kids to show their personality along with me displaying mine. Every moment in my class is authentic, and I believe that’s what people truly enjoy the most about my videos,” said Holt.
It was an excellent experience for Holt, primarily since it was filmed in Manhattan, New York, which allowed him to bask in a new atmosphere.
“It was great experiencing the city for the first time. Being on set was definitely an experience to remember, especially being in front of a live audience during the show. I thought that I would be nervous, but Nick, his team, and the audience were so welcoming that it took any nervousness away from me. I shared my journey and joy with so many people, and it felt surreal because who would have thought just sharing videos of me and my students in class would lead to a TV appearance with someone as notable as Nick Cannon."
Since going viral, many people have been supportive of Holt and his students. People have reached out to distribute gifts to the students throughout the year.
“I love that people support the kids and want to see them strive and achieve. I enjoy that the spotlight shines a light on the positivity and the power of representation in education."
Holt’s overall goal is to create an environment that genuinely inspires children to strive for academic excellence while also creating joy.
“I want to create something that kids all over can be part of. I hope to create a space for children to one day attend college and possibly become members of a Greek letter organization themselves. Teaching kids about service, scholarship, brotherhood, and sisterhood are all things I want kids to take away from Apple Fried Apple. I would truly love for it to be a global program that impacts kids worldwide."
