- April 23, 2024
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Palm Coast’s Imagine School at Town Center fifth-grade teacher Brett Cunningham, 33, was named the 2013 National Teacher of the Year in the Imagine School charter system Wednesday morning at a special assembly called for fifth- through eighth-grade students. He was chosen from more than 2,000 teachers in 72 schools across 12 states.
The honor left him speechless at first, taken over by his emotions. Then he said, “I guess it’s just the culmination of what I’ve done for five years to build our school community."
But the spotlight is not something that is new to Cunningham. Outside the classroom, he has been seen on stage at City Repertory Theatre, seen most recently in “Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris,” “Pygmalion” and “The Lion in Winter.” His flare to the theatrics is something Cunningham has brought into his classroom and something Principal Lisa O’Grady said makes him great.
“I wanted to be as big and bold and make as many waves as I could because I knew that if the students were excited they would stay,” he said.
And stay they did. The assembly was filled with Cunningham’s current and former students, most of whom barreled to the front of the cafeteria to give him a large group hug after the assembly was dismissed.
“I really try to continue the relationship which was started in my class, checking on kids, and constantly being able to mentor kids that need it,” Cunningham said. “I think that’s what makes me more successful here and the kids successful too.”
