Running into teachers in public can be awkward, agonizing, or even humiliating at times. Or maybe it depends on the teacher? At the NC State University Men’s Soccer State Championship, I caught Mr. Blackwelder repping items from his NC State merch and cheering the team on from the sidelines. After putting up a long fight, I gave in to a sudden urge and yelled his name to get his attention, screaming, “Mr. Blackwelder! How are you?!” He can be heard yelling back from about 20 ft. away, “I’m good! How are you enjoying the game?” I walked away from the exchange, excited to tell my classmates who I just saw. My cousins snickered from nearby, laughing at our interaction. Only one of my cousins understood the boldness of my actions. The cousin who spent his days tutoring me for Mr. Blackwelder’s class, AP Statistics. My cousin understood my appreciation for the teacher who watches me try my hardest, and fail the most, and continues to be patient, forgiving, and understanding.
As a jack-of-all-trades, Derek Blackwelder has a significant impact on students at Millbrook High School through his exceptional teaching and charismatic personality. Born in Asheville, North Carolina, on the 26th of December, Derek Blackwelder teaches AP Statistics and Math 3, and has been coaching high school soccer since 2009. In an exclusive interview with the CatTalk, Blackwelder revealed that he exercises and watches movies or television shows to relax and relieve his stress. Mentioning his current watch, “Severance,” adding that he enjoys the ‘weird’ shows. Blackwelder is a fan of hard rock bands; he enjoys listening to bands like Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Slayer, the Allman Brothers, and can often be heard playing their classics during class, but is always ready to play students’ song requests, elevating the already enjoyable mood of his classroom. After continuing his academic career at NC State University, it is also a hot topic in the classroom, with merchandise filling every corner.
Beating the boring stereotype of math classes into one where students find comfort and enjoy it is not a menial task. Although Blackwelder repeatedly emphasizes that “statistics is not math,” or maybe it’s his way of easing my stress when I struggle. But even those simple gestures are a strong indication of his character. Blackwelder identifies his strengths as patience, kindness, and understanding of the challenges students may face outside his classroom.
Mr. Blackwelder was determined to become an engineer after graduating from high school. He highlighted how surprised his high school self would be to find out that he’s returned to be a statistics teacher! In fact, his favorite high school teacher during his junior year was his statistics teacher, Mr. Bieber. While reminiscing, Blackwelder added that he cherished the teacher’s comedic persona and overall greatness, but most importantly, he appreciated Bieber’s ability to make each student feel included. Especially since Mr. Bieber had a nickname for everyone in the class.
When asked if it’s easy to separate students from their grades, Blackwelder responded with, “Hmm, that is a good question. It’s kind of hard, in honesty. It’s important to see them as people and to know that what’s going on outside of school is very tough and challenging.” He finds interacting with students and supporting them to be the best part of his work, whether it’s supporting them through learning, simply showing them they can achieve this stuff, or helping them understand math to foster their success in his classroom. He pours that same effort into coaching, watching players progress from season to season and prosper over their years at Millbrook.
When asked about the most meaningful part of parenting, Blackwelder admitted, “Oh, man. So much. I love being a parent. It’s very hard and challenging, but also rewarding. Just watching my kids grow and be silly…Being a parent has affected my teaching a little bit more by seeing what happens at home; to see the homework that they get and the work they need to put into school, and that kind of stuff. Seeing it from the other side is a good perspective to have.”
Therefore, in an effort to balance teaching, coaching, and family life, Blackwelder recently stepped down as the main Varsity Women’s Soccer coach. During the bustling soccer season, Blackwelder emphasizes the crucial role his wife plays in his life. “Oh, man, it was tough. I relied on my wife a lot. So kudos to her for all the work she put into it, from getting the kids from school to raising them, being there, and allowing me to teach and then coach. She’s exhausted every day. But just keeps showing up.”
Elie Wilson, a senior at Millbrook, reflected on the invaluable impact of Coach Blackwelder during their playoff journey last year. She stated, “For me, his positivity throughout our run through the playoffs last year was very encouraging. Every time there was a moment of doubt, he always had something positive to say that motivated us to keep pushing.” Similarly, Jordan Davis, also a Millbrook senior, fondly recalls memorable experiences with Mr. Blackwelder as her coach, including significant achievements such as winning the conference title and their remarkable playoff run last season.
Coaching is a role that feels second nature to Blackwelder, who, in his younger years, not only pursued gymnastics but also took on coaching responsibilities. It may come as a surprise to many of his students that he has retained his agility and can still perform cartwheels with ease.
Blackwelder couldn’t end the interview without imparting a major part of his wisdom upon me, stating, “Go Fulham!”
