DAPHNE, Ala. — On Sept. 17, a delegation from the African nation of Gabon visited Daphne High School. 

The delegation arrived at the school in the afternoon and was immediately greeted by DHS Principal Don Blanchard and Daphne’s International Baccalaureate coordinator and Assistant Principal Joseph D. Roh. 

The delegation was escorted by Blanchard and Roh to the gym, where its members met DHS’s volleyball coach, Edoli Herrion.

While at Daphne High School, members of the delegation watched the volleyball team work out, observed a physical-education class in progress, got to see the DHS band practice and met with a group of Daphne High IB students to discuss similarities and differences between schools in the United States and schools in Gabon.

The delegation was visiting Daphne as part of a meeting between Dr. Thomas Rosandich, vice president of the U.S. Sports Academy, and members of the president of Gabon’s cabinet. 

Members of the delegation who visited DHS were Seraphin Moundounga, minister of National Education and Higher Education, and René Ndémézo’o Obiang, minister of Culture, Youth and Sports. They visited Daphne High so that they could witness how DHS integrates sports into its overall educational curriculum.

The African nation is looking for ways to improve its current sports programs and looked to Daphne High as an example of how to employ similar methods in their schools and communities. At the end of their visit, the Gabon delegation presented Daphne High School with a book about Gabon. The book is on display in the Daphne High School library.