In many ways RCCF board member, Keith Perin appears to be the quintessential English teacher. But in other ways, he’s really not.

Not surprisingly, he nearly wrote an essay when we asked him about his favorite book, Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mocking Bird. He gets his love of reading honestly – from his mother. After first seeing the movie version of Lee’s tale with his family, Keith borrowed his mom’s copy for the first of many read-throughs.

“The book resonates with me because it’s an incredible story about children trying to figure out the complexities of life. One can certainly learn many positive parenting traits from Atticus Finch. I’m glad I was so young when I read the book because I was stunned that people could be so cruel, particularly that people could convict an innocent man simply because he was black. I was lucky to come from a family that emphasized tolerance and equality, so reading this book only augmented these ideologies,” Keith shared.

He’s had ample opportunity to use the parenting skills he learned from Atticus Finch and be an excellent role model for his family. Keith and Kim, his RCHS sweetheart and wife of nearly 40 years, have two daughters – Megan and Lauren. Megan and her husband, Craig, have three daughters – Haylie, Addison, and Avery. Lauren and her partner, Carl, live in the county. Both girls have businesses in Rushville. Keith smiled, “My wife and I love spending as much time as possible with our daughters and their families.”

After graduating from the University of Indianapolis, Keith spent a few years teaching at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis. But he and Kim returned to Rushville in the early 1990s and have been teaching at RCHS since. And coaching. Yes – baseball, football and basketball.

“I think some people probably think it’s odd that I’m a life-long English teacher with an obsession for literature who also has a passion for athletics. Before the pandemic ravaged 2020, the year began auspiciously with my 1982 UINDY baseball team being inducted into the UINDY Hall of Fame,” Keith divulged. He’s a man of many skills!

After resigning from his baseball coaching position, he was asked to join the RCCF board. Their loss was definitely our gain. “I didn’t know much about RCCF then, but I was honored to be asked and felt honored to serve,” he admitted. “I loved my first term on the board because we were able to help so many Rush County residents. I feel grateful and honored that I’ve been asked to serve another term. I wish more residents knew how many people and organizations RCCF assists, but it’s difficult to make people aware of all we do.”

We’re so glad he accepted both times in support of the home team. You’ve definitely earned a spot in the RCCF Hall of Fame, Keith!