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BARRY, ILL. -- An area basketball and baseball coach is scoring big in the classroom these days.

Mr. Kevin Buckert teaches history at Western Community Unit School District in Barry.

You might recognize him as the head basketball coach there, as well as the assistant baseball coach.

KHQA's Rajah Maples surprised him Thursday afternoon with this month's KHQA Excellent Educator award.

This is Mr. Kevin Buckert's third year of teaching, and all three of those years have been spent here at Western.

Buckert said, "The reason I kind of went into teaching is because I had a couple of phenomenal teachers who really kind of paved the way for me. It's something I really enjoy and have a passion for, history, and hopefully my students will have a passion as well."

He said, "History seems to be one of those classes where all the kids tend to overlook or not as interested in, 'why do we have to learn about a bunch of dead people?' That's usually the comment I get. The one thing I do try to instill are a variety of things to keep them excited about it, because as you can tell, history has a tendency to repeat itself. That's what I always talk to them about."

Freshman Kelsey Walker said, "It's one of my favorite classes, because it's not so hard that I don't understand. He makes it so I can understand it."

Freshman Jessica Grammer said, "He will help you with anything no matter what subject it is. Overall, he's just a really good person."

And those are just some of the reasons that make Mr. Kevin Buckert this month's KHQA Excellent Educator.