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The Davie Community Foundation is sharing a continuation of the “Where Are They Now?” series.

Please enjoy learning about former scholars and the great things they are accomplishing.

By Madison Hartness

Davie Community Foundation

For Russel Hilton, Davie County has always been and will always be home. He wouldn’t want to live or work anywhere else.

Ever since high school, Russel knew that he wanted to teach and coach. His goal in life is to make a positive impact on the lives of each of his students and  he enjoys going to work each day to make a difference in the lives of young people.

His passion for sports was solidified during his time wrestling at Davie County High School. He believes the sport teaches dedication, perseverance, hard work, and sacrifice. His belief that wrestling gives you all the tools needed to be successful in life, and the profound impact of Coach Buddy Lowery from Davie High, drove Russel to coach and teach.

Following his graduation from Davie High, Russel continued pursuing his passion for wrestling at UNC Pembroke, where he wrestled for two years and earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He then returned to live and work in Davie County.

For the past eight years, Russel has been working for Davie County Schools. Currently, he is the physical education teacher at Cooleemee Elementary. He is also the head coach for three sports at South Davie Middle School – boys soccer, wrestling, and girls soccer.

Russel’s favorite memory from school is winning the team wrestling state championship in 2006. His advice to high school students would be to work hard and find your true passion in life.