A Birmingham teacher of almost three decades received an unexpected shout out at the 95th Academy Awards.
Kay Dummier knew that her former student Daniel Scheinert had been nominated for his new film, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
However, she got a big surprise when he took the stage to receive one of his three Oscars. Scheinert, during one of his acceptance speeches, made sure that he expressed his gratitude for some of his former teachers, including his fourth-grade teacher Dummier.
“I had a fantasy as a kid of winning an award and going up and telling off all the teachers that gave my brother and I detention so here goes,” Scheinert said. “I’m just kidding, these are teachers that changed my life, mostly public school teachers … Ms. Dummier, Mr. Toole, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Chambers, Madame George …
“You guys educated me, you inspired me, you taught me to be less of a butthead.”
Dummier said that she was shocked hearing her name mentioned
“When he said my name I nearly flipped. Wow,” said Dummier “I was watching it live.
“I remember him, but I don’t remember doing anything special with him that I don’t do for all kids, so I don’t really know the impression I made. I treated him like all my other neat little kids.”
She was also pleased that he thanked his parents, as well.
“I’m really impressed with him that he thanked public school teachers, because where do they think they get their start?” she said. “And the next time he got (an award), he thanked his parents first, so I thought, you know, this guy has got his head on straight.”
Scheinert expressed his gratitude for some of his other teachers at Oak Mountain Elementary, Shades Valley High School, and the Jefferson County International Baccalaureate.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.
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