Brent Bockelman is an educator, author, and community leader dedicated to helping students build confidence, discover their passions, and contribute meaningfully to the world around them. A graduate of Southport High School’s Class of 2001, Brent was actively involved in athletics and student leadership during his time as a Cardinal. He ran cross country and played basketball and baseball, earning varsity letters in baseball during his junior and senior years. Beyond athletics, he was involved in the Green Earth Society and served as Booster Club President during his senior year.
After graduating from Southport, Brent attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where he majored in English Education. He returned to his alma mater shortly after completing his degree, beginning his teaching career at Southport High School during the 2005–2006 school year. Since then, he has dedicated his professional life to serving the Southport community.
During his time at Southport, Brent coached baseball for 13 years while also establishing himself as a versatile and innovative classroom teacher. In 2012, he earned his master’s degree in education from Indiana Wesleyan University while continuing to teach full time. He has played a key role in curriculum development, helping design the current iteration of the English 9 Sheltered course, which supports students learning English as a new language while engaging with rigorous academic content. He also built the English 10 credit recovery program designed for students who suffered learning loss during the COVID-19 school closures. Through his work with the 21st Century Scholars program, Brent has guided first-generation college students through the rigorous preparation required for college.
Brent currently teaches a wide range of courses that serve diverse student populations and learning levels, including Inclusion English 10, English 9 Honors Pre-AP, and AP English Literature and Composition. In addition to his classroom responsibilities, he also serves as a mentor teacher at Southport High School, supporting and guiding new educators as they develop their teaching practices and transition into the profession. He also pilots new instructional strategies to share with the Southport High School staff.
His work reflects a commitment to meeting students where they are while challenging them to grow academically and personally. This dedication has gained recognition beyond the classroom. Brent has twice presented at national and state conferences, including the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the Indiana Council of Teachers of English (ICTE), sharing strategies for supporting students who are producing collegiate-level work while also addressing the needs of multilingual learners.
In addition to his teaching career, Brent has remained deeply involved in the Southport community through alumni leadership. He began working with the Southport Alumni Association in 2015, serving as Vice President before being elected President in the fall of 2020. In this role, he has overseen the development and expansion of numerous alumni initiatives, including the SHS Alumni Business Directory and a wide range of alumni-centered events such as music festivals, reunions, The Legends Luncheon, comedy shows, and a variety of alumni social gatherings. He also helps lead the organization’s flagship event, the annual Scholarship Banquet, which supports graduating Southport students. He credits the many selfless volunteers in the Alumni Association for its continued success.
At the center of Brent’s work, both in the classroom and in the community, is a clear mission: to help students build confidence in themselves, challenge them to explore the world around them, discover what matters most to them, and find meaningful ways to give back to their communities.
In his free time, Brent enjoys writing, playing the guitar, traveling, and spending time with his wife, Sarah, and their two daughters, Georgia and Callan.