Robert Dunham proves that when it comes to teachers, he’s a cut above the rest.

Mr. Dunham was a fifth-grade teacher at Carver Elementary School in June when he did what many teachers do on a daily basis — go above and beyond the call of duty.

Every year, Carver Elementary holds a “Moving On Ceremony” to congratulate fifth-graders completing elementary school and moving on to middle school, an honor students take great pride in as they dress up and share the spotlight as they enter the next phase of their education.

Mr. Dunham had an inkling some of his students wanted to look good, including a fresh haircut, but they were unable to afford the grooming update and didn’t want to tell anyone.

As he was leaving home the day of the ceremony, Mr. Dunham grabbed his hair clippers, just in case. After arriving at Carver, he saw some of his students needed a haircut and gave all of them a “fresh cut.”

“I look at my students as my own children,” he says. “I wanted all of my students to look their best on their special day. That’s love.”

Mr. Dunham says, especially for young boys, “a haircut makes you feel confident, very special, like you can do anything.”

It was his third-grade teacher at Public School 165 in Brooklyn, N.Y., Ms. Henry, who made a huge impression on Mr. Dunham.

“Ms. Henry embodies what I believe a teacher should do — teach with love,” Mr. Dunham says. “She saw something in me and she pushed me and pushed me, more and more, to do better. I keep up with her on Facebook to this day.”

He says Richmond Public Schools now is pushing to teach the whole student.

“RPS has students from a wide variety of backgrounds and so many different types of situations they go through at home,” Mr. Dunham says. “Teachers have to be able to impart in a child a desire to be uplifted, not just academically, but in every area of their lives. That’s what Ms. Henry did for me.”

Little did Mr. Dunham know that a fellow teacher photographed his barbering skills that day at Carver. The photo went viral, hitting social media platforms and broadcast media outlets. The coverage sparked a call from one of America’s hottest daytime talk shows, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” Before Mr. Dunham knew it, he and his wife, Shaquana, were flying to Los Angeles for a live interview last June.

He didn’t know he was in for another surprise the day of the show. Actor Dax Shepard, who was the guest host for Ms. DeGeneres that day, called the haircuts “a very beautiful gesture” and in return surprised Mr. Dunham with $10,000 to pay off his car and $10,000 toward a family trip to Disney World.

The Walt Disney Company owns “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”

After returning to Richmond, Mr. Dunham, who now teaches at Overby-Sheppard Elementary, founded “Be the Change RVA,” a nonprofit that partners with local barbershops to give students free haircuts and mentoring and tutoring from others working in various fields.

“Be the Change RVA’s vision is to positively change the mindset and the world of children in various ways,” Mr. Dunham says. “This includes mentoring, volunteering, tutoring and providing services people need — like a haircut or tutoring.

“Our purpose is to give children outlets to express themselves in positive and creative ways,” he says. “For our members who are from diverse personal and professional backgrounds, this is an opportunity to impart wisdom, information and knowledge to help young men to develop into their best selves.”

One of the many messages Mr. Dunham has received online and in the mail from across the country, stated, “If I could get another hundred black male teachers like you, we can turn a lot of things around.”

His response to all of the well-wishers and people donating to his nonprofit is straightforward and honest.

“You saw my act of kindness, now you do me a favor. Take that energy from me. Go back to your community and do something kind for someone else. You’ll never know the impact you can have on someone’s life.”

Meet this week’s Personality and a true change agent for the community, Robert Dunham:

Date and place of birth: April 9, in Brooklyn, N.Y.

No. 1 volunteer position: Founder of “Be the Change RVA,” a nonprofit that partners with local barbershops to give students free haircuts.

Current residence: Richmond’s South Side.

Alma maters: ASA College, Brooklyn, N.Y., associate degree in criminal justice; Virginia Commonwealth University, bachelor’s in interdisciplinary studies, with minors in education and criminal justice; and Liberty University, master’s in special education.

Family: Wife, Shaquana Armstrong-Dunham; and children, Madison Lee,14; Karah,12; Rhyan Leah, 7; and Sasha Olivia, 5.

Why it’s important for young boys to have a “fresh cut”: For a young man, image is very important! The feeling you get when you walk out of the barbershop is like nothing else. You feel on top of the world and full of confidence. Most people will never understand how much confidence can help a young man inside and outside of the classroom.

Reaction from Carver students and their families to the haircuts: Most of the students were excited because I wasn’t just providing a service. We connected on another level. I have always been close to all of my students and this small act of kindness seemed to bond us forever. The families have always been appreciative and were happy that some good news was coming out of Carver.

Did the response to the photo that went vital surprise you: Absolutely! First, I didn’t even know my colleague Mrs. Randolph had taken the pictures. I was even more surprised that so many people were touched by this story. I received calls and emails from all over the country telling me how much this story had impacted them.

When did the producer from “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” contact you and how did you react: The producer from “Ellen” called me the day before the end of the school year. My assistant principal informed me that the producers wanted to talk to me. I thought they were trying to pull a prank on me until I picked up the phone and found out it was true. After the call, I ran around the school screaming, “I’m going to be on ‘Ellen!’ ” It was truly a surreal moment.

What was it like flying to Los Angeles for the first time and being on TV: I was scared to death. I hadn’t flown on an airplane since I was 7, but my wife helped me get through it. I had never been on TV before, but I tried to play it cool until we were getting closer and closer to show time. I was freaking out a bit, but my wife looked at me and said, “Baby, take a deep breath. It’s going to be all right.”

Were you nervous when you met actor Dax Shepard, the guest host on the show: Yes, absolutely. Dax Shepard is so down to earth. He doesn’t come off like some of the celebrities we see on television. During one of the breaks, he leaned in and asked me, “Hey, have you ever been on TV before?” and I responded, “NO!” He says, “Well, I can’t tell ’cause you are doing phenomenal.”

What are you doing with the $20,000 the show gave you: So the story about our car situation and our Disney trip was absolutely true. The first thing I want to do is book our Disney vacation for my kids. Secondly, I intend to donate $2,000 to the Embrace Carver Foundation and $2,000 to my church, The Sanctuary-RIC. The rest I intend to put into savings as my wife and I are trying to purchase our first home next year for our family.

My family is extremely important to me and I’m extremely happy to have done something that my kids can be proud of.

What is your vision for “Be the Change RVA”: I see my organization becoming a beacon of hope for children growing up in impoverished conditions. This is only the beginning as I am currently working on trying to acquire a facility that will house an after-school program where we will provide tutoring, mentoring, food and, of course, haircuts!

The role and importance of “Be the Change RVA” in the community: There are many nonprofits that service children here in Richmond. My goal is not to compete with them, but to establish strong partnerships with them as we are all trying to accomplish the same goal — to positively impact the lives of children here in Richmond. We have all had that one person who comes along and sees something in you that you didn’t even know is there. Someone did that for me and I just want to do that for someone else.

What is a teacher’s greatest reward: A teacher’s greatest reward is running into a student maybe five or 10 years down the line and find them doing something amazing with their life. That has always been my goal — to steer children toward a bright future.

What is a teacher’s greatest challenge: I think a teacher’s greatest challenge is debt. As teachers, we have to go to school for many years in order to obtain our license, but in doing so we acquire a great deal of student loan debt. I am currently $90,000 in debt and this is something that weighs every single day.

What makes a good teacher:

A good teacher is someone who can take on any challenge; advocates for their students; pushes their students; realizes that even though the work day ends at 4:30 p.m., a teacher’s job is never done; intentional during instruction; makes home visits; provides additional support for students who need it; and never ever gives up on their students, no matter what!

How I start the day: I start my mornings with prayer, which I believe is key. The more positive energy you bring, the more you can give out. I help my wife get the kids ready for school and I’m usually at work by 8:30 a.m. I know there are many people that may have different faiths or beliefs, but I firmly believe that everyone should start the day with meditation and self-reflection to help prepare for the day. Quality I most admire in another person: Grit. A lot of people have dreams and goals, but they lack grit. If you have a dream, you have to protect it. But you also need grit for the tough times ahead.

Three words that best describe me: Reliable, resilient and radical.

Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: I love listening to old school R&B groups like The Temptations, Blue Magic, The Stylistics, The O’Jays, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Gladys Knight and the Pips.

A quote that I am inspired by:

“He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk...” – Friedrich Nietzsche A perfect day for me: Being at school and teaching. I love being in front of a class. Also, going to a movie with my wife and kids. I’m a family man so I spend a great deal of time with them.

Best late-night snack: Lemon cake! If there is a piece left in the house at night, by the morning, it’s gone.

How I unwind: My wife and I spend a lot of time together. So when I need to unwind, we will go to the gym and then just take a long drive and talk.

The best thing my parents ever taught me: After you have done the best you can, dig a little deeper. There’s always extra.

At the top of my “to-do” list: Having fun with my wife and kids; preparing my lesson plans; completing my schoolwork; promoting “BetheChangeRVA;” feeding the homeless on Saturday mornings; and watching basketball.

Person who influenced me the most: My dad. He passed away some years ago in a car accident, but I hope all of the things I was able to do with my life have made him proud.

Book that influenced me the most: “Black Prophetic Fire” by Christa Buschendorf and Cornel West.

What I’m reading now: “How Not to Get Shot: And Other Advice From White People” by D. L. Hughley and Doug Moe.

Next goal: To release my first children’s book, “Caught Doing the Right Thing,” in the first quarter of 2020.