Born in Florida in 1962, many never knew Daryl Mason was not originally from Richmond County, as he has quite an impact on our community and the youth in the community since he began his career in education at Hamlet Junior High in 1985.
After graduating from Riverdale High School as a varsity letterman in football and wrestling, Mason attended Fayetteville State University from 1981-1985, during which he played football for the first two years and served as the president of the physical education majors club. After graduating from FSU, he taught science at the former Hamlet Junior from 1985.
He left Richmond County Schools from 1988-1990 to teach physical education and weight training, coach ninth-grade football, JV wrestling, and serve as the assistant varsity football coach at Riverdale High School. Upon his return to the school system in Richmond, he taught physical education at Rockingham Junior from 1990-2004. During his years as a Rocket, he served as head coach of the football team, softball team, was awarded coach of the year three times, and served as assistant principal at the school from 2001-2004. He was promoted to principal in 2004 at the former Leak Street High School and remained in this position until the school closed in 2014, at which time he became the associate principal at Richmond Senior High School until he retired in 2016.
Although he retired from Richmond County Schools in 2016, he has continued to live his passion of educating the youth as a teacher at Blenheim Middle School of Discovery, where also serves as the athletic director, head football coach, and was named Teacher of the Year for the 2018/2019 school year.
In addition to his service in education, Mason was appointed to the Richmond County Board of Commissioners in July of 2014 and elected in 2018 to the Richmond County Board of Education.
Mason is a founding member of the HIP (Helping Improve Potential) organization, which was founded to help male youth reach their full potential, a proud member of Omega Psi Fraternity Incorporated and Mount Zion United Church of Christ, and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity.
He and his wife, Teresa, who is also well-known for the enormous impact she has made on the lives of so many Richmond County students as a physical education teacher and coach at Rockingham Middle School, have five children, Daryl Jr., Carrielle, Charles, Hailey and Daryn, and three grandchildren, Olivia, Isaiah and Kyren.
Join us today in celebrating Daryl Mason’s continued dedication in advocating for and educating our youth, supporting our community, and for choosing Richmond County as the school system for his legendary career as a teacher, coach, and administrator!
Meghann Lambeth is executive director of the Richmond County Tourism Development Authority.
(Editor’s Note: Visit Richmond County is highlighting prominent local African Americans each day in February in honor of Black History Month. Previous individuals featured include late Richmond County sheriff James E. Clemmons Jr., late state representative Harrison Ingram Quick, dancer and makeup artist Ciarra Kelley, Ellerbe Mayor Brenda Capel, two-time Super Bowl champion Perry Williams, Bishop Arlester Simpson of Ellerbe, Richmond County School Board member Ronald Tillman, and educator Melvin Ingram. See the Visit Richmond County Facebook page for more on these outstanding individuals.)
