HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) -- It is the graduation song heard around the world... and T. Wingate Andrews principal Marcus Gause is quickly finding that out.
"I got a call yesterday from Poland. I understand now that there are individuals that are in London, in Australia that are sharing this video," he says.
The video he is talking about is of him, singing to the graduates in the Class of 2021. According to Gause, "I chose to sing a song that I would never, ever, ever think that I would have done."
The iconic song "I will Always Love You" was sung by both Dolly Parton and Whitney Houston, but it went viral when it was sung by Principal Gause to what he calls a 'special group of Seniors'.
"I hope that all your dreams come true. I hope life treats you kind. I was like, what better lyrics?" says Gause. "This is my hope for what you were about to go walk into. And you've dealt with enough loss in the midst of this pandemic."
Gause says hearing that he loves his students is nothing new to them.
"Every morning I tell them at the end of my announcements, we say, 'Hey guys, nobody has told you that they love you today. It is indeed my privilege and my place to be the first to let you know somebody loves you in Red Raider country. And that somebody is me'."
He does it because he said he was determined to teach them to believe in their own abilities.
"I heard a lot of things that were not in the most positive light about Andrews. And so, I sat in the auditorium with this class, and I said, guys, I'm hearing a lot of negative things. People are running up to me saying all sorts of negative things about us. But guys, I just need you to believe. I just need you to believe in the impossible. I believe that you can do it. Let's make, um, let's make, let's flip the script, right? Let's, let's do that. Matter of fact, if they're gonna talk, let's give them something to talk about."
And talk they have. The students made great strides in academics even during the most trying of times. The song? A reward for their hard work.
"Just the simplicity of just believing," says Gause. "For this to happen, like their fourth year right at graduation. And for this to go viral, it just emphasizes our belief coming in is that if you simply believe that all things are possible."
He added, "This class has shown that there's nothing that love can't conquer, um, from academics to life, to, to COVID-19, there's nothing that love can't conquer."
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