The eleventh grade English honor students at Goshen High School went on a virtual tour Thursday morning and they learned three things that they will long remember.

First, they learned that, no matter how meager or dire one’s circumstances, it’s still possible to find success in life. They also learned that the older generation has much wisdom to impart and that meaningful relationships are not based on age, color or background.

That’s how Clifton Lusk summed up the virtual tour with Alabama’s supreme storyteller Kathryn Tucker Windham and internationally known Alabama folk artist Charlie Lucas.

Never mind that Lusk said, “old folks.” The young man “got it.”

“My parents have always told us to listen to the elderly because we can learn a lot about life from them,” he said.

Lusk was speaking of Kathryn Windham who delighted the students with her wit and the wisdom that comes from 91 years of living and learning.

“I also learned that you can be at the bottom of the totem pole and still make it to the top,” he said.

Lusk was speaking of Charlie Lucas who only has a fourth-grade education but is “at the top of the totem pole.”

The Goshen 11th graders joined students from Thomasville and Fairhope high schools on the virtual tour offered through the ACCESS Distance Learning program.

The students listened intently to Windham and Lucas, soaking in the life’s lessons they shared and laughing at their humorous anecdotes.

“I liked hearing about their lives,” said Antonio Bradberry. “They were both real interesting.”

Melissa Saunders said Windham and Lucas are “amazing people” and are an inspiration to young people.

As the virtual tour came to a close, the students waved to Windham and Lucas in appreciation for a most interesting and memorable tour.

Darrell Battles, honors English teacher, said the concepts the students learned through the virtual tour will now be applied in the classroom.

“I didn’t know that Charlie Lucas was going to be a part of the tour, but it was interesting to see the relationship that has developed between the two of them through their art,” he said. “Future lesson plans will be developed based on the virtual tour the students took today as we learn more about Alabama authors and their contributions to American literature.”