Cape Central Academy teacher finds 'happy place' on roller derby track

Known as "Ms. DeWitt" to her students, Cape Central Academy English teacher Bri DeWitt surprised them when she revealed her roller derby persona, "Babe Runner."

DeWitt's nickname was inspired by the 1982 movie "Blade Runner,' starring Harrison Ford. As a member of a Cape Girardeau Roller Derby team, DeWitt suits up in her skates, helmet and kneepads transforming herself into her character when she takes to the track.

"I've done this for four years," DeWitt said. "This is my happy place. This is my favorite thing."

People often assume DeWitt participates in roller derby to release pent-up aggression she must have from teaching, but DeWitt said that's not the case. She said she loves being a teacher and supporting her students.

"In the classroom, I'm a pretty passive person," DeWitt said. "So it's hard for them to imagine me being out there tearing it up. Well, trying to tear it up, at least."

Bri Dewitt, left, and Emily Kirn, right, practice blocking Kristin Rickman from passing them, in a move called "seaming," recently at the Osage Centre gym in Cape Girardeau.Danny Walter

Cape Central Academy is DeWitt's first teaching job after gaining her undergraduate and master's degrees from Southeast Missouri State University. While at SEMO, DeWitt did some substitute teaching at the Academy, and she said she fell in love with the school.

"The energy there was awesome. The kids and the staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming," DeWitt said.

As an alternative learning environment, DeWitt said Cape Central Academy is for students who have struggled in traditional schools for a variety of reasons.

"We've had students who've become parents at young ages who want to graduate," DeWitt said. "We have students who, for whatever reason, have failed several classes at the high school — maybe they've had some sort of traumatic event or they've just struggled in a large environment. So, they come to us where they can get more one-on-one care."

DeWitt said classes at Cape Central Academy are about half the size of Cape Girardeau Central High School. She said the Academy also provides night and half-time schedules to accommodate students with day jobs or who need to work around child care.

Bri DeWittCourtesy of Cheekwood Studio

"We provide an expedited way for them to get their diplomas because they can earn credits faster with us. They can earn extra credits with us that they can't in the high school," DeWitt said.

DeWitt said she considers herself lucky there was a job opening at Cape Central Academy after she graduated, DeWitt said she took a position as an English teacher even though her focus had been history. After spending time teaching creative writing and instilling a love of reading, she said she decided to stick with English even after there was an opening for a history teacher.

"I've discovered that I love to read with the kids," DeWitt said.

She said some students come to Cape Central Academy at a lower reading level than their peers. She talked about how, for whatever reason, many of the students weren't going to school and she saw a lot of learning loss.

"Maybe they were having behavior issues or some family issue," DeWitt said. "So often they are behind when it comes to reading level or basic skills. But they have so much real-life awareness and experience that, as their English teacher, I can really harness those things when it comes to class discussions, even when it comes to understanding the literature at a higher level. Their actual reading level may be lower, but their ability to comprehend and connect with the material is often above the level of their peers."

In addition to her teaching duties, DeWitt said she is also Cape Central Academy's esports coach. This is the team's second year, and she said they compete with students in other Missouri high schools, playing games such as Rocket League and Super Smash Bros. Since she also plays video games, DeWitt said it was just another way to connect with students. She said many of the students who participate in esports don't have other outlets because they're not traditional athletes and not involved in other extracurricular activities.

"I love esports," DeWitt said. "I tell my students all the time that I wish this existed for me. Because I wasn't someone who was in any clubs or played sports in high school."

DeWitt is also the school's yearbook sponsor. She said she had no experience with working on a yearbook, but the students wanted one and asked her how to make it happen.

"Well, I guess we just make it," DeWitt told them.

With teaching English, coaching esports, sponsoring the yearbook and competing in roller derby, DeWitt acknowledged she does a lot, but she won't scale back. Her home roller derby game, Cape Town Smack Down, will be Nov. 12 at the Arena Building, 410 Kiwanis Drive, in Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. DeWitt said her students will be coming to the game.

"I'm a little nervous," DeWitt said. "I told them they'll get to watch me fall a lot, but I hope they have a good time."