Teacher rewarded for excellence

By Andrea J. Cook, Journal Staff Writer | Wednesday, November 02, 2005

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RAPID CITY — Beginning with Gov. Mike Rounds and ending with students, Robert Cook exchanged a lot of handshakes after he was surprised with the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award on Tuesday.

As South Dakota’s only Milken educator, Cook receives a $25,000 cash prize and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to participate in a professional-development conference in May.

“I’m humbled and overwhelmed,” Cook said, pausing to shake hands with students who stopped by his classroom before leaving at the end of the day. “There are so many other teachers out there that are more deserving than me.”

Cook learned of the award at a carefully orchestrated assembly at Central High School on Tuesday morning.

Along with the rest of the staff and students, Cook believed he was there to hear speeches from the governor and Rick Melmer, the state’s secretary of education.

Their speeches, however, led to the announcement that a Central teacher was the Milken recipient.

“This teacher instills a thirst for learning in students and is enthusiastic about learning and encourages others to be lifelong learners themselves,” Melmer said, leading up to the announcement, “and is a leader not only among students but among faculty.”

Rounds described the award as a “thank you” to people who make a difference.

“This award means more than money,” Rounds said. “To all educators, the award says that you are doing important work. To the community, the award spotlights all of the good things that are happening throughout this school. To the students, the award says that we value our educators and we hope you consider a career in education.”

When Rounds named him as the Milken Educator, Cook comically collapsed and sprawled on the gymnasium floor to the delight of Central’s students and faculty.

“You’re trying to give me a heart attack,” an emotional Cook said, shaking hands with the governor and accepting an enlargement of the $25,000 check he will receive next spring.

Cook teaches social studies and English in the Lakolkiciyapi Room, a classroom dedicated to working with at-risk ninth-grade students. He also teaches a section of Native American Heritage.

Cook is a great choice for the award, according to Central principal Pat Jones.

“Robert does so much in the Lakolkiciyapi Room,” Jones said. “He is a very positive Native American role model, and that’s very important for our Native American kids.”

At Central, 17 percent of the students are American Indians, Jones said.

Cook is “incredibly zealous” about the importance of infusing his culture into the daily lives of students, Jones said.

“He’s been very helpful to me in raising our cultural competence level within this building,” Jones said.

Cook coordinates Central’s annual Back-to-School Pow Wow that has grown steadily over the past three years. And he made sure that students entering Central are welcomed by a framed red and white star quilt.

Students in the Lakolkiciyapi Room can also join the Lakolkiciyapi Club that Cook supervises.

Cook organizes fundraisers and after-school activities such as bowling and movies for the students. Those activities help students who might otherwise flounder at Central keep a positive connection with classmates and school, Jones said.

“Robert is the glue that holds all those things together,” Jones said. “He’s very good for them.”

Cook’s students concur.

“He’s awesome,” ninth-grader Zacharia Flad said, before rushing over to shake Cook’s hand. “He expects us to get our homework done and turned in on time.

“He helped me raise my grades from Fs and Ds to As and Bs,” Alicia Moon added.

An enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Cook has taught for 17 years, the last three in the Lakolkiciyapi Room. Before moving to Rapid City, Cook taught at Red Cloud, Crow Creek and Little Wound.

He and his wife, Daphne Richards, have two sons, Lamont, 12, and Caleb, 6.

Cook graduated from New Underwood High School, attended Brigham Young University and graduated from Black Hills State University. He will complete work on his master’s degree in school administration next spring.

Growing up, Cook spent summers on the reservation where his parents had family and operated small businesses. Those years give him a good background to help his students, he said.

All teachers want the best for their students, but it is important for Indian children to have someone who understands their culture and learning styles, Cook said.

Cook said he strives to help his students feel like a part of his classroom and give them a sense of belonging.

“Sometimes in the classroom, people only see the facade of who Natives are in Rapid City,” he said. “A lot only see the bad things. They don’t see the hundreds and hundreds of Natives that live their culture in their homes and are strong community members. That’s what our kids need to see. There are opportunities out there, if we just take advantage of education.”

In 2002, Rapid Valley Elementary School teacher Kari Jung was one of 100 teachers nationwide to receive a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award.

The Milken National Educator Awards were created by Lowell Milken in 1985 to elevate and activate the highest caliber of professionals in the nation’s schools, according to a news release from the organization. Since their creation, more than 2,000 teachers, principals and specialists have received the award.

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com