Perry Township teacher leads students with love of robotics, spelling and Batman
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — WISH-TV celebrates extraordinary teachers in central Indiana with the WISH-TV Golden Apple Award.
The award comes with a $2,000 cash prize from Western Governor’s University (WGU), a trophy, a school supply shopping spree to Teachers’ Treasures, and a surprise visit from the News 8 team with help from WGU Indiana.
November’s Golden Apple Award winner is Mr. Brent Cummings from Perry Township Schools. He’s a Project Lead The Way teacher at Jeremiah Gray Elementary School, who is known as the ringmaster of robotics, the spell master of spelling, and the caped crusader of the classroom.
“He really likes Batman — a lot,” said 10-year old student, Kalil Muwallif.
“A lot of things in his room are batman. And he said for Halloween, he wasn’t going to be Batman. So I think it’s just his favorite,” added 11-year old student, Addison Staton.
“He loves Batman,” 10-year-old Olivia Osborne said. “His whole entire room is basically themed Batman.”
While Mr. Cummings loves Batman, he’s also beloved at this school.
“We all love him,” Olivia said.
“He’s a really cool teacher. He’s very nice and funny — because he likes doing what the kids do and he’s just like a really nice teacher,” Kalil added.
Mr. Cummings is in his 18th year of teaching. He says he started out volunteering at the YMCA years ago and had to come up with a nickname. He always loved Batman, so the name stuck.
He’s a dad and his wife is also a teacher in the district, so he knows how to connect with students.
“Brent is the kind of person who’s going to thrive no matter where you put him because he has a passion for working with kids,” Principal Doug Smith said. “He truly cares about each and every person that he knows in his life, whether that’s through school, through his personal life, he’s dedicated himself to others.”
Smith says Cummings is skilled educator, runs the robotics program and Spell Bowl at the school. However, this is his first time as a Project Lead The Way Teacher.
“Project Lead The Way is a stem-based program and it’s what’s considered a problem-based learning. So students are presented with a problem. It’s a 10-day rotation through this classroom with Mr. Cummings. And they start with a problem and then they begin to think and problem solve what are potential solutions to this problem,” explained Smith.
In this role, Mr. Cummings gets to help 1st through 5th graders learn to problem solve. In some ways, this solves the problem that every student wants him as their teacher.
“They joke a lot that, you know, he’s one of the ‘fun teachers.’” Fellow teacher, Lora Spangle said.
She says he really cares about students and people in general.
“Kids need to know that you love them. And I think the kids know that he loves them. I mean, absolutely positively. There’s no doubt,” Spangle said. “They love to be around him. And they love being in his clubs – coming in early. So I think that speaks volumes.”
A record number of students now want to be in his robotics club, so there are six teams at the school. Smith says that is the most in the district. Students come in early before school to train for competitions.
Mr. Cummings meets with the teams three times a week before school, then coaches the Spell Bowl team after school.
Spangle helps with Spell Bowl and sees all the work Mr. Cummings puts in. That’s why she nominated him for the WISH TV Golden Apple Award.
Therefore, WGU and the News 8 team went to surprise Mr. Cummings in his classroom.
After receiving the $2,000 check, he said “Thank you so much. I don’t know what to say – I am shaking. I had no idea!”
“It is because of these guys right here (the students) that us teachers do what we do. So thank you guys. I am speechless,” Mr. Cummings said.
The News 8 team then showed Mr. Cummings a video from his students and staff.
“Thank you. It is beautiful. My family is going to be really excited to see this.”
He wiped away tears as he reacted to the video.
When asked what keeps him coming back year after year, Mr. Cummings said, “These guys (the students). It is just their joy and excitement – just seeing them believe in themselves and know that they can do it. Teaching isn’t a job you do unless you are here for these guys right here. And seeing the kids, their genuine hearts while talking…I love them. I feel their love. It is the kids that make you want to come to work.”
Proof that not all superheroes wear capes. Some have the power of spelling, the reach of robotics, and the ability to make students shine.
To watch other Golden Apple Award recipients, click here.
To nominate a deserving teacher for next month’s Golden Apple Award, submit a detailed nomination here.