A Former Gang Member Turned His Life Around & Now He Is Missouri’s Teacher of the Year
Darrion Cockrell’s story is nothing short of remarkable. “Mr. DC” as his students call him, is Missouri’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. He is a physical education teacher at Crestwood Elementary School in St. Louis, Missouri and is making a huge impact on his students’ lives. Growing up with very little resources, DC joined a gang before the age of 10 and was in several foster homes. He credits the shift in his life to the middle school counselor that stepped in to save him. And now, we’re surprising him in a major way to kick off “HALLelujah it’s the holidays – a week of gifts galore.”