Missouri Teacher of the Year Award goes to Darrion Cockrell

Missouri has announced it’s teacher of the year. Darrion Cockrell claims the title. He’s a PE teacher at Crestwood Elementary in St. Louis, who overcame: violence, drugs, gangs and tragedies to get to this point in his life. Cockrell hopes that his story of surviving a troubled childhood, getting adopted at 14 years old, and getting a college education will inspire his students. Cockrell, also known as “Mr. DC”, says PE was his happy place when he was growing up and he hopes that his students have the same experience.

Cockrell said, “For me, just because of the way I go about it and the way that I am, it’s just easy. Like, I tell everyone this like, this is the only thing I have ever done in life that came so easy”. Cockrell, and his students, made a dance video with a choreographed routine that incorporates different exercises. He also held workout sessions for teacher, parents, and ran an open gym for dads.