Channing Mathews joined the Valwood family as a lower school student and graduated first in her class in 2005. Channing's rich academic and extra-curricular experiences at Valwood afforded her several choices for her post secondary education. She chose to attend Duke University and there she was awarded two prestigious awards. Channing was chosen as the Undergraduate Student Leader of the Year, an award named in honor of Julian Abele, an African American who designed the architecture for the West Campus at Duke University.

In addition to the Abele honor, Channing was chosen to deliver the graduation speech at the Final Honors Ceremony for students of African-American descent.  At the Final Honors Ceremony, Channing was presented with a Kente cloth stole which she wore for the commencement ceremony.   

She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, a certificate in Human Development and a minor in Spanish and is now teaching English Language Arts to eighth graders at the New Horizons Bi-lingual school in Santo Domingo.

From Valdosta to Duke to the Dominican Republic - beyond the norm.