Elmont teacher's Bad Bunny-inspired character encourages kids and adults to read

Terry Lewis is the kind of teacher who impresses his fourth-grade students so much that when asked to do a Black History Month project about a notable African American, they all chose to do theirs about him.

Around Alden Terrace School in the Elmont Union Free School District, Lewis is known as funny and theatrical.

When the PTA held an assembly in March to kick off Pick a Reading Partner, a program to encourage kids and adults to read together, Lewis went all in. Dressed in a white suit, he played a Bad Bunny-inspired character called “Good Book Bunny.”

The students’ reaction was off the charts, said PTA co-president Jessica Macias.

“They loved it,” she said.

“He just has this way of thinking outside the box to make learning come alive,” said the school’s acting principal, Sonia Rodrigo.

The 57-year-old Queens resident is in his eighth year of teaching fourth grade at Alden Terrace, after 25 years teaching fifth and sixth grade at Gotham Avenue School, also in the Elmont district.

“It’s my 33rd year of teaching and it might be my best,” Lewis said. “It’s been a joyful year.”

Parents say that joy has rubbed off on students.

Jose Taveras said Lewis encouraged his son Jacob to join a ballroom dancing program Lewis helps coordinate. Twice a week for 10 weeks, an instructor from ArtBeat LI taught students the tango, foxtrot and more.

The students performed for the school and competed May 11 at Richard S. Sherman-Great Neck North Middle School, where they won the gold medal.

“Being with Mr. Lewis, he’s kind of breaking out of his shell,” Taveras said of his son. “He’s having an amazing year.”

Lewis said he was inspired to become a teacher by educators he had while attending Roosevelt public schools.

He also credits his father, Robert Lewis, with being a major influence in his life.

“He is more kind than any person I know,” Lewis said.

Outside the classroom, Lewis enjoys dancing and performing in community theater. He first caught the acting bug after a nudge from a teacher while attending SUNY Old Westbury, where he graduated in 1992 with a degree in elementary education.

At the urging of one of his professors, Dr. Onita Estes-Hicks, Lewis auditioned for, and was cast in, a production of “Antigone,” landing a small role that led to bigger opportunities. He went on to join the school’s sketch comedy group, the Old Westbury Comedy Players.

Lewis earned a master’s degree in instructional technology in 1996 from New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury.

He recently worked with the fifth- and sixth-grade students from Alden and Gotham Avenue schools on the musical “Frozen Jr.,” assisting with direction and helping students learn their lines and choreography.

Natasha Law said her daughter, Hunter Clarke, played Olaf the snowman. Lewis helped her feel confident in her first acting role.

“He doesn’t just teach, he inspires these kids,” Law said. “He helps everybody feel they belong.”

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