Former gang member turns life around, now Missouri teacher of the year
Darrion Cockrell grew up living with relatives and in foster care centers. His teachers, he said, gave him hope and a chance to thrive.
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Darrion Cockrell, who wasn’t much of a student, has been named Missouri’s 2020 Teacher of the Year.
The former gang member, 34, who now teaches physical education at Crestwood Elementary in the greater St. Louis area, told
he didn’t care much about school as a child because of his difficult upbringing.
Darrion Cockrell, the St. Louis-raised Missouri Teacher of the Year, grew up living with relatives and sometimes in foster care centers. It was his teachers, he said, who gave him real hope and a chance to thrive.
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When he was in the seventh grade, Cockrell s football coach and his wife took him into their home, where he lived until graduating high school. He eventually earned a degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Cockrell sees his role as a physical education teacher as a vital part of his students lives and takes on the responsibility of keeping them fit and helping them stay clear of trouble. This responsibility lasts even after his students graduate from the fifth grade and out of his class.
One parent reached out to Cockrell when her son had trouble watching his friends bully another kid in middle school. Cockrell had previously spoken to the boy s parents when he had behavior issues while in his class.