Ten fifth grade students at Crestwood Elementary School learned on Dec. 19 that their self-portraits created in art class earlier this year will be sent to the White House to trim the presidential trees this holiday season.
This all came to be thanks to Crestwood’s physical education teacher, Darrion Cockrell. Cockrell, known as “Mr. DC” to his students, was awarded the 2021 Missouri Teacher of the Year, and because of this, was invited this year along with state teachers of the year from across the country to the White House to be a volunteer decorator.
“I had the opportunity to represent Crestwood Elementary School and the Lindbergh School District at the White House during Thanksgiving. It was a really, really fun experience. It was something that I will forever remember. I’m a huge history guy, so just being in the White House, taking in all the history that’s there, but also knowing that I’m there because I’m an educator meant so much more to me than anything,” Cockrell said. “Being able to represent teachers all over the country and our school just means so much to me.”
Following Cockrell’s visit, the White House reached out requesting student self-portrait ornaments from Crestwood Elementary.
Upon receiving the news, Cockrell and Crestwood Elementary School art teacher Christopher Burke decided that it was only right to bestow the honor on the school’s fifth graders.
“I think this is a cool last hurrah for them,” Cockrell said. “This year has been so crazy for them with all the construction going on. They don’t really have a playground, they’re going to lose the gym here shortly. There’s so many chaotic things going on. I think this is a cool opportunity to kind of represent them and show them that through all the madness, we have something beautiful that we want to share with the world and the White House.”
The completed ornaments were used to decorate trees in the State Dining Room.
Read more in the Jan. 2 edition of The Call.
