From Guyana classroom to US Senate doorstep, former teacher leads in tight Mississippi race

A man who once taught kindergarten to Grade Six children in a small Guyanese village is now on the verge of making history in the United States, as he battles to secure a seat in the powerful US Senate.

Scott Colom, a former teacher in Guyana, is narrowly leading incumbent Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi’s closely contested November 3 Senate election, following a political journey that he says was significantly influenced by his experience in the South American country.

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Colom’s connection to Guyana dates back to 2005, shortly after graduating from Millsaps College, when he travelled to the country through the WorldTeach programme and spent 16 months teaching English to children in a small, impoverished village.