The Sabine Hall of Fame Board has announced their selection for the 2025 Achievement Award is Dorothy Calhoun, a former Sabine Parish resident who has demonstrated great success in her professional, social and community endeavors including as an educator, author and preservationist of Sabine Parish history. She will be honored at the Sabine Hall of Fame Banquet on Tuesday, March 25 at the VFW Hall at 1738 San Antonio Ave. in Many.
Luella Dorothy Sweet was born to John (Jack) Wilson Sweet and Orlean Toombs Sweet in Zwolle. She attended and graduated as a Senior from the former J. S. Clark High School in Zwolle as second in her class. Two J. S. Clark principals she recalls were Mr. Robert Bob Collins and Mr. Samuel David Cross.
After high school, Dorothy attended Grambling College earning a bachelor of science in Art Education. In 1967 during her sophomore year at Grambling, she married PFC Johnny Calhoun. Upon graduation, they moved to Grand Prairie, TX where she began her career in teaching.
Dorothy attended Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX, and received her Masters of Arts degree in Art Education with a minor in Supervision. She received her Mid-Management Certification for principalship from Texas Woman’s University, also in Denton.
She began teaching in August 1972 at South Grand Prairie High School’s Art Department. Dorothy taught grades 9th-12th for 14 years and was the first African- American teacher at the school. She served as the Combination Department Chairperson for Art, Music, PE, Home Economics, Theatre Arts, and as the Art Club Sponsor.
Dorothy taught Junior High at John F. Kennedy with grades 6th-8th for eight years where she served as Combination Department Chairperson for Art, Music, PE, and Home Economics. She taught 6th graders Organizational Skills and Character Education along with art classes.
Dorothy received numerous awards during her education career including Unsung Hero in Education by Grand Prairie Independent School District; Unsung Hero in 2015 by the Grand Prairie; NAACPAward and 2024 GPISD Trailblazer in Education Award by the NAACP; awarded Unsung Hero by the Eta Phi Beta Sorority of Dallas, Texas. She was named All American Scholar by Texas Woman’s University’s Education Department and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Dorothy received the PTA Lifetime Membership Service Award at Zavala Elementary recognizing her as the first African American teacher at South Grand Prairie High School. She was awarded Unsung Hero by the Eta Phi Beta Sorority of Dallas, Texas. Dorothy was named All American Scholar by Texas Woman’s University’s Education Department; named Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers; received the PTA Lifetime Membership Service Award at Zavala Elementary; Grand Prairie ISD purchased two of her children’s books for each elementary campus library. She was assigned by the district as Supervising Teacher and also mentored several student teachers from neighboring colleges and universities.
More recently, Dorothy served as an Elementary Assistant Principal for three years, later returning to the classroom for time with children and teaching. Dorothy returned to Zavala Elementary School to teach grades K-5 for nine years as its first Black Art Teacher. There she piloted the first elementary art program for GPISD using the curriculum written by Dorothy and her colleague Ruth Mendoza led and directed by Mrs. Sally Ruth Moore, former Superintendent of Education for the district.
The pilot program at Zavala for the art curriculum was a groundbreaking success. Dorothy served in that art position at Zavala Elementary until retirement in 2007.
She participated as a book vendor in an annual hometown celebration called The Zwolle Tamale Fiesta in 2022. She had some of her paintings available for sale along with her books.
In Zwolle, she received the Distinguished Alumnus Award for Memorial Service Director, J.S. Clark Alumni Convention and was named in church history archives for contributions to her home church – St. John Baptist Church of Zwolle. She was recognized for organizing and executing the Samuel D. Cross Appreciation Celebration at Zwolle High School in 2008.Furthermore, Dorothy contacted J. S. Clark Alumni to help finance the project for setting up the engraved granite memorial stone in honor of Mr. Cross that now rests at the Zwolle High School flagpole. orothy is working on documentation of historical records from the former J. S. Clark High School to pass on to Zwolle and Many librarians for parish archive. This history was donated to Dorothy by the late Samuel and Lena Cross.
She is the author of 11 published books, eight Children’s books and three Educational books. Her second career as an author began in 2008. She has three books registered and housed at the Library of Congress in Washington DC.
Dorothey Sweet Calhoun will be honored at the Annual Sabine Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on Tuesday, March 25, to be held at VFW Post 4858 Hall, at 1738 San Antonio Ave. in Many. Tickets and tables will go on sale soon.