After counting his blessings, Doug Henton has become one

They walked into the classroom Wednesday offering various bon mots to Doug Henton — he's Mr. Henton now — all the good mornings and what's ups illustrating high school kids in utter and complete comfort.

Mr. Henton. Shirt and tie. The kid we once knew from the basketball court. The kid we once helped with college. Now he's all grown up, a man of 24, who has returned to his hometown and his alma mater as an English teacher.

This is the triumphant story of Doug Henton, graduate of New London High (2012) and Connecticut College (2017), standing before his class — effortlessly commanding it, actually — in Whalerville, teaching figurative language to 11th graders. Henton could be doing this anywhere, "shocking the world!" as he once said during a postgame interview on GameDay — instead choosing to teach in the room where he once sat.

"I definitely want to lead by example," Henton said, before leading his kids through a one-hour journey of idioms, metaphors and similes. "It's one thing to hear that a person did well, but it's another to get a visual representation. It's the best representation, if you ask me. It's good to come back and show the kids first hand that you can make it out of your smaller space and branch out. I'd like to branch out one day, too. But right now I'm young and want to set a good example for them."

Henton sets a good example for all of us.

The two-minute drill version of Henton's story: He is a former basketball player at New London High who had the academic acumen but not the financial means to attend Conn. His story came to the attention of local businessman Mike Buscetto, the Niantic-based philanthropic group "Power of Together" and (current state representative) Chris Soto of "Higher Edge," which guides low-income and first-generation students through enrollment, retention and graduation from college.

They conspired to send Henton on a rainbow ride through Conn, providing the money and means to chase the dream. And yet Buscetto made it clearer than a bottle of Poland Spring that if Henton's grades suffered or heaven forbid he end up on Page 1 for the wrong reason, the money would disappear faster than Jimmy Hoffa.

Doug Henton got his bounce of the ball.

And he's still running with it, all the way back to the classroom.

Doug's classroom, on the second floor of the high school, is immaculate. Each desk comes with a white board, marker and highlighter, neatly arranged. In Wednesday's one-hour class, Henton and his easy way managed to engage kids in similes.

Like: He's easy like Sunday morning, that Doug Henton.

"If you don't put your name on your worksheet, I'm throwing it in the trash can," he said. "I may crumple it and go behind my back or I may shoot it from deep. But I'm throwing it away."

His students – "friends" as he calls them – giggled. But they got the message. Total, complete resonation. Henton could have been militaristic or snotty in his tone. Instead, he used matter-of-factness with gentle humor, indicating the best way to reach our kids now is to identify with them. It helps, too, that he's not all that much older than they are.

"When you walk into a club and you say you're 'buying the house,'" Henton said, alluding to idioms, "it doesn't mean you are actually buying a piece of real estate."

Henton's modernized example produced a number of nodding heads.

Correct answers merited the occasional piece of chocolate for the kids, who perhaps unwittingly learned their idioms because they really were kids in a candy store.

Later, they moved on to alliteration and actually left class giggling to "she sells seashells by the seashore."

Sorry, but it just doesn't get better than this in the 06320.

Doug Henton counted his blessings once. Now he's become one. He teaches us the best way to get help is to ask for it. That the best way to live is through others, evidenced by the now hundreds of people in the region associated with Power of Together. Evidenced by Buscetto's forever willingness to help. And Soto's understanding of just how badly our kids need programs like "Higher Edge."

And to think it all began with a phone call.

He called yours truly on a sunny Friday in the summer of 2013. I was out grilling. Strange number. Do I answer or flip the chicken? Me: "Hello?" Doug: "Mr. D. This is Doug Henton. Do you remember me?"

Me: I laughed. "Doug! Of course I do. Shock the world!" Henton chuckled. Our ensuing conversation was about how Henton had to leave Salve Regina, where he could no longer afford the tuition. He applied and gained admission to Conn, except that $21,000 of his tuition would be uncovered.

Buscetto read the ensuing story and began to orchestrate. Local realtor Nina Beebe, a Power of Together member, shared Henton's story with the membership. They voted to give Henton a chunk of money that helped immensely. Enter Soto, who advised Henton on educational matters.

And now Henton, who understood the responsibility attached to his good fortune, graduated from Conn and has returned home to his city, his kids.

He's made so many people, even the ones who never met him, proud. You go, Mr. Henton. Your metaphorical richness goes beyond the classroom. This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro