2026 Guest Speakers
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Darrion Cockrell is the 2020 Emerson’s Excellence in Teaching Award winner, Missouri’s 2021 Teacher of the Year (Missouri’s First Black Male Teacher of the Year*) and NEA’s 2021 Horace Mann Friend of Education award winner. He’s also the 2022 California Casualty Award for Teaching Excellence winner. 2023 National Lowell Milken Center Fellow, National Council of Negro Women 2023 Legacy Award winner and Missouri’s 2023/24 Elementary Physical Educator of the Year.
Born and raised in the city of St. Louis up until the age of 14. At 14 Darrion was moved into a boy’s home out in Creve Coeur where he would stay for a year. After a year in the boy’s home Darrion was adopted by his middle school football coach and stayed with them for the next 11 years in Chesterfield. While living in Chesterfield, Darrion attended both Parkway Central Middle and Central Highschool.
After playing college football at Millikin University for 2 years and injuring his shoulder. Cockrell returned home and earned a Bachelor of Science in Education/Physical Education and a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Missouri - St. Louis, and Master’s in Teacher Leadership K-12 at Walden University.
Cockrell or Mr. DC as he likes to be called, teaches physical education at Crestwood Elementary School in St. Louis, Missouri. He has nine years of teaching experience and has been at Crestwood since 2015.
Cockrell is a role model for his students and focuses on creating relationships that support the importance of staying active and healthy. He is always willing to lend a helping hand, inspires his fellow teachers, and motivates everyone at Crestwood.
Cockrell received a 2020 National Box Tops for Education Twilight Award, from Chance the Rapper. He also created the “Crest-Fit” training program, reaching thousands of people over multiple platforms. In his free time, DC enjoys spending time with family and friends, staying active, and supporting his students as they thrive in their activities.
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Chris Nikic set a new world record by being the first person with Down Syndrome to complete a 140.6-mile Ironman. His mission is to inspire others like him to pursue their dreams and goals.
His greatest achievement is showing others how shifting your focus from your disabilities to your abilities and pursuing your dreams with an unwavering tenacity, a positive attitude and a no-quit grit can help anyone achieve their goals and dreams.
Achievements:
2X ESPY Award Winner (Jimmy V & Male Athlete with a disability)
3X Ironman and 6X Half Ironman Finisher
4X Guinness Book Record Holder
20X Marathon Finisher
Abbott Six Stars: Boston, Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago & NYC marathons
Special Olympics Global Ambassador
Laureus Sports Global Ambassador
ESPN Special Edition, NBC Documentary HBO Sports Edition
Laureus Global Sporting Moment of the Year
PRWeek Most Purposeful Person Under 30
Florida Sports Hall of Fame Inductee 2022
Florida Special Olympics Sports Hall of Fame Inductee 2024
Children’s Book: 1% Better - The Chris Nikic Story
Author Book: 1% Better – Reaching My Full Potential and How You Can Too
Nik brings over 20 years of experience in helping clients maximize top line revenue by enabling “Digital Sales Transformations” through a turnkey solution that includes end to-end sales process design, CRM tools and adoption training programs.
Over the years Nik and his organization have worked with many global companies like United Technologies, Cognizant, United Airlines, Enterprise, Quad Graphics, Computer Sciences Corporation, NICE Systems and many others.
My Greatest Coaching Achievement:
Teaching my son how to achieve the impossible by getting 1% Better Every Day.
Contact: ChrisNikic.com; Chris@chrisnikic.com; IG: ChrisNikic; Nik@salesOptimizer.com; 407-687-1194
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Christopher Monsour, a high school science teacher at Columbian High School in the Tiffin City School District was named the 2026 Ohio Teacher of the Year last week. State Superintendent Paul Craft surprised students and faculty with the announcement during an assembly at the high school.
Monsour currently teaches high school biology, environmental science, and anatomy & physiology at Tiffin Columbian High School. With 26 years of teaching experience, Monsour has had the opportunity to teach a wide range of subjects before finding his true calling in advanced sciences. He is committed to creating a stimulating learning environment that promotes academic achievement and a lifelong passion for science. Specializing in biology, evolution, microbiology, and anatomy, he designs and delivers engaging hands-on laboratory exercises and field trips to enhance understanding and foster curiosity beyond traditional classroom lectures.
His Journey
Chris Monsour did not originally pursue teaching as a career. When he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Heidelberg University, he originally planned to pursue a career in environmental biology. At that time, Tiffin City Schools was in desperate need of a high school science teacher, so Monsour signed on as a substitute teacher, during which he discovered his passion for teaching and the importance of obtaining a formal teaching license. Since then, Monsour has pursued graduate work in biology, ecology, and inquiry, earning two master's degrees: a Master of Arts in Education from Heidelberg University and a Master of Science from Montana State University.
Monsour’s teaching background also includes four years as a student study session consultant for AP Biology, ten summers of teaching at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, where he served as both an instructor and the Academic Dean for Science and Math, and two summers teaching English as a Second Language at Tianjin Normal University in the People’s Republic of China. He continues to participate in global expeditions, both on land and at sea, with the goal to enhance his ability to bring the world and content to his students in a way that keeps them engaged and excited about the sciences.