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Amy (Carnahan) Lerma
I am starting my second full year at Briarwood Elementary in Prairie Village, KS. I teach 1st and 2nd Grade ELL.
My husband and I recently celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary. I attend Hillcrest Covenant Church in Prairie Village, KS and had the opportunity to help lead an ELL Summer Tutoring Program for a couple of weeks this summer. I enjoy spending time with family and friends, watching K-State sports, playing tennis, and reading.
Elaine (Cobb) Mick
My name is Elaine (Cobb) Mick and I have been employed at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School since graduating from KSU in 2005. I married my husband, Curtis Mick, in April 2008, and we live near the KU med center in Kansas City where he attends school. At NW, I teach English 9 and 10, while remaining involved with extra-curricular activities, which have changed through the years. I'm pumped that this is my first year as an assistant coach for the middle school cross-country team, but I'm equally pleased to be entering my third year as a sponsor for the Academic Decathlon team. Both groups are amazing, but I particularly enjoy taking the AcaDec students to KSU for the state competition each January. It's always good to be back in Wildcat Country.
Teaching is both a rewarding and trying profession, but seeing my first crop of freshmen from four years ago now tromp through the halls as mighty seniors has thrilled and encouraged me. Perhaps, after all my initial fussing, I did indeed choose the right profession. Their cheerful "Hey--Cobb--I mean Mick" calls in the hallway (because they can't remember my new married name!) and periodic visits to the English office or my classroom give me...hope, I suppose...that each new squirrely bunch of freshman will someday grow into quirky young adults. And perhaps these continued and evolving relationships remind me too, that I played some minor part in their transformation. I wish the best of luck to all aspiring teachers!
Patricia Geist
Katie Hammersmith
After graduating from K-State in May of 2007, I took a job teaching at Cooper Elementary School which is part of the Derby School district. Cooper is an at risk school with a large amount of ELL students. During my time there, I learned so much about teaching and what works and doesn't work in the classroom. It was such a rewarding experience to see my students overcome so many life difficulties and become successful learners.
I have recently become engaged and switched jobs. I am currently teaching for the Spring Hill School District at Prairie Creek Elementary. It has been a busy year so far with 23 Kindergarteners, but we sure are having a lot of fun. It is such a joy to teach my little ones how to love school and how to read!
I will be getting married in July to David Shanholtzer, also a KSU graduate. I love to cook, read, and cheer on the Wildcats.
Adam Hamor
I teach Spanish out of Greensburg High School. I work for Interlocal #625 and serve many small schools in Southwest Kansas via Distance Learning. The network is integral in providing educational opportunities for students in small schools who would otherwise not have these opportunities. Due to budget shortfalls and few students, our cooperative can help provide many classes for students that their own schools cannot provide. Additionally, I help coach forensics and am hoping to soon implement and after-school Spanish program for Elementary students. When the new school is built, this will be reality...I HOPE!
I live in Coldwater, KS with my two dogs, Sammy and Todd. I spend ample time with my friends and family at the lake and still try to travel whenever I can. On weekends, I try to make it up to Manhattan any time there is a football or basketball game.
Dana (Ellis) Voth
I am excitedly getting ready to begin my second year as a substitute teacher in the Sublette, Copeland, and Satanta school districts in southwest Kansas. I have had a wonderful experience in the small town communities and really look forward to the start of the school year. My husband, Marc, of a year and a half has an agriculture-related job that is very seasonal. We find that the flexibility of subbing allows us more freedom in the winter months to travel and spend time together. So far, it has worked out great!
We keep ourselves busy with activities at our church down in Liberal, KS along with spending time with family and friends and traveling.
Patricia Zabloudil
I am currently teaching 6th grade at Manchester Park Elementary in the Olathe School District. This is my fourth year teaching here in this position. Although we are in an elementary school, we departmentalize all day. My passion is Reading, so I am very lucky that this year I am the Reading teacher for all sixth grade. Our school district has recently passed a bond that will move 6th grade to the middle schools and 9th grade up to the high schools. I'm very excited about the opportunities that await me as a middle school teacher. This past summer I worked on a committee that created a new Reading class, as well as made adaptations to the existing 6th grade Language Arts program.
I am currently enjoying my time being single and spending time with good friends. I live in Overland Park and enjoy going on walks, biking, reading, and cooking. During the summer, I also worked at a camp outside of the Kansas City area for middle school Christians. I have been working there for several summers and continue to enjoy it!
Victoria Luhrs
I moved to Falls Church, VA this July to pursue a masters degree at George Mason University in Initiatives in Educational Transformation. I continue to enjoy working with middle school students and social studies curriculum.
That's about it. Still looking for a job right now - school starts in late September.
Reily (Reinhardt) Wieters
After two wonderful years of teaching 4th grade, I am making a move to 3rd grade this fall. This will be my second year with the Valley Heights school district in Blue Rapids, Kansas. I have grown so much in my teaching skills over the last two years with the help of mentor teachers, supportive administration, and classroom experience. Teaching is truly the profession for me. I enjoy the wonder and excitement that comes from teaching intermediate age students. Kristen Schnackenberg
I am entering my 4th year of teaching kindergarten at the Turner Early Learning Center in KC, KS. While teaching, I am also working on earning my Masters of Teaching while specializing in English as a Second Language at Pittsburg State University. It is keeping me busy! I am very excited for the upcoming school year, because with Kindergarteners, there is never a dull moment!
In my free time (ha!), I am hanging out with friends and family, and really enjoying each other’s company. I still love watching my Wildcats play ball, and am excited for the upcoming season. My boyfriend and I have quite the rivalry going, as he is a Jayhawk, but we are making it work! I also love traveling, and this summer have visited Chicago, Florida, Georgia, and Boston, and look forward to a couple more trips throughout the year!
Kari (Strelcheck ) Hillen
I am in my third year of teaching in Blue Valley in Overland Park, KS. I currently teach Spanish 2.5 and Spanish 3.5. I have a great group of students that keep me very busy and laughing often. This year, I also coached the sophomore girls' volleyball team. I learned a lot and enjoyed getting to know my students in a different way.
My husband, J.D., and I will be married two years in June and are still living in Gardner, Kansas. In our spare time, we are still working on the house and spending time with family and friends that are close by. My sister and I have also been coaching a fourth-grade girls' volleyball team. In addition, I tutor a couple of students in Spanish from neighboring schools.
Erica (Voran) Anderson
This fall, I will begin my fourth year working in Olathe. I love teaching third grade! I am continuing to work in large part with the ELL students (English Language Learners) and enjoy watching them learn. This year, I am also taking more classes towards a Masters Degree to become a Reading Specialist from Emporia State University.
In December, I got married to Jon Anderson. In May, we bought a house in Prairie Village. So I spent the summer teaching students in summer school and painting the house. I'm looking forward to a new year with a new group of kids!
Carly Wagner
I just graduated in May 2009 from K-State and am currently teaching Spanish to 6th, 7th, & 8th grade students at Junction City Middle School. I am really enjoying it so far despite the often long days and encounters that help to develop classroom management strategies. Throughout the last couple of weeks I have heard from various students, parents, and faculty about how much students enjoy my class. Hearing these things really keeps me motivated and focused on helping the students everyday.
I am also the assistant cross country coach at JCMS and have been leading the kids in practice since school began. I enjoy this job because I get to see a different side of the students and share my interest in running with them. We work hard at practice but also have fun because the students need to enjoy an activity if they are going to continue it in the future. It is impressing to see the students take an interest in an extracurricular activity and motivate themselves to do their best.
Keeping my practices and classes fun and entertaining not only motivates the students and athletes to work hard, but it also makes the job fun for me. Connecting to the students is a key part in effective teaching, and I have already found many opportunities to do so. I am excited to see how the year unfolds and anticipate my upcoming experiences throughout my learning process as a new teacher!
Eryn (Wood) Elder
I teach freshman English and AVID at Wichita High School South. I am also the freshman volleyball coach. AVID and volleyball will be new for me this year, and I am thoroughly excited for both. Throughout the summer, I spent a lot of my time gearing up for school. I went to the AVID training in Dallas, and I took part in the Secondary Technology Leadership Institute for the district. I made time to relax, too! Matt and I traveled to Pennsylvania to visit family and friends, and I enjoyed a few days by the pool or at the lake. In late fall, I will find out about the Kansas Horizon Award. Matt will be starting his masters in economics this fall, and he continues to work at LearJet as a cost analyst/project coordinator. Amanda York
I spent the last two years teaching Spanish at a magnet school in New Haven, Connecticut. During this time, I attended summer courses and completed a thesis on the use of differentiated instruction in the urban classroom thereby obtaining my masters through the University of Granada in Granada, Spain. While I really enjoyed living in New Haven, I came to miss my family back in Kansas and I decided it was time to move closer to home.
This fall I joined the faculty of Bishop Dunne High School in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. I am teaching both English and Spanish classes. Despite the drastic change in climate, I find Texas to be quite agreeable and I'm looking forward to visiting my family and seeing my K-State Wildcats play on a more regular basis. I'm also looking forward to an autumn of exploration as I settle into my new community.
Christi (Cunningham) Bullock
I am still teaching 4th grade at Ware Elementary at Fort Riley, KS, and really enjoy it. I have a great team that I get to work with and a lot of great students. I teach all subjects, and we work really hard to get our kids ready for the KS Assessments while having fun along the way. On top of our busy school year, and I am also expecting my first child. So, it is a very exciting year! Susan (Larson) Cochran
My husband and I will be transitioning to new careers in Indonesia this fall. I’m looking forward to working as a literacy specialist, helping develop literacy materials and literacy programs for adults. I hope that my job will also involve working with local teachers to develop multilingual education programs for elementary schools. To prepare for working in literacy, I have enjoyed a change of pace from teaching while attending graduate school in Dallas. It was fun to build on my previous teacher training and experience as I took classes dealing with literacy for adults. Once we’re in Indonesia, my husband’s job will be to work as a community development specialist which will involve working with locals to develop appropriate technologies for providing clean water, waste water treatment, and agricultural development. Lucas Shivers
I currently teach sixth grade at Bluejacket-Flint Elementary School in the Shawnee Mission School District. I’m a sponsor for Green Team, Student Council and Focus Team. My wife Rachel, a secondary social studies teacher, and I are foster parents to two boys.
From 2005-2008, I taught fifth grade in Abilene, KS, at Garfield Upper Elementary. I directed the Above and Beyond the Classroom afterschool program for more than 40 students. In 2004, I taught sixth grade at Heritage Christian School in Topeka, KS.
I serve as executive secretary for Acacia Fraternity, a leadership development house at K-State. I am a mentor for at-risk youth in the Kansas City metro area. Our family is involved in refugee resettlement, Forerunner Christian Fellowship and the Kansas Foster and Adoptive Parent Association.
Jancy (Davis) Stelly
I currently live in Riley, KS and teach 7th grade math and robotics at Riley County Grade School. Last year I took two teams of 7th and 8th grade students to the Western Kansas Robotics League Competition, at Ft. Hays State, and they placed 3rd in two of the four events. This was a first for both the students and me. I also worked with my 7th grade students to create a Quilt that will follow them through school until they graduate in 2014.
My family has changed a little bit since the last summer; it's just my two kids and me now. Dillan starts Pre-School at Riley County this year and he is really excited. Lilly is still in daycare and will be starting school next year. I started working on my Master's in Academic Advising through KSU DCE in the Spring of 2009. Classes have been going great and I am really enjoying them. I plan to graduate with my M.S. in Dec. of 2010.
Emily (Armstrong) Kerschen
My fourth year teaching at Maize Middle School in Maize, north of Wichita, has started off wonderfully. I teach 8th grade literature and composition as well as advanced literature and advanced composition. I also sponsor StuCo as well as help coach cross country and track. One of the greatest blessings of my job is the people I work with at MMS.
Jon, my husband, and I have been married for two years, and we live in Garden Plain where Jon farms with his dad and uncles. We stay involved with our church, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Cheney, and Bible study small group. Spending time with our families is always fun, too. My brother-in-law, Keith, is a current Tomorrow's Teacher recipient
Rachel (Williams) Jorgensen
I am just beginning my second year of teaching 1st grade at Gardner Elementary in USD 231! It has been a great experience so far--I have a very lively bunch! Teaching at this grade level is so much fun because of all of the growth that occurs throughout the year. I love seeing my students reading at the end of the year!
My husband, Cody, and I are getting settled here in the Kansas City area. We're involved in a great church, Redeemer Fellowship, in Wesport--we're loving building a life together in a new place!
Tiffany (Pralle) Manning
I am beginning my 3rd year as a first grade teacher at Spring Valley in Junction City. I feel lucky to work with a great staff, in a great district, that truly does put learning and student needs first. I am currently working on my Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Reading/Language Arts. I will graduate this December.
My husband and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary over the summer. We vacationed in the Bahamas to celebrate. It was a fun, relaxing way to begin the summer. In our free time we love playing tennis, walking, biking, being outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.
Gentry Sauder
After graduating this past May, I'm starting my first job at Haysville West Middle School in Haysville, KS. I will be teaching 7th grade Language Arts. I look forward to eventually getting involved as a coach or club sponsor; however, just being a teacher will keep me busy enough this first year. I'm settling into the Wichita area and filling my time with house renovations and lesson planning. Looking forward to an exciting year! Jessica Brenner
Last April, I found out that I would be returning to my hometown of Oakley, KS to teach 3rd grade. I am very excited to be closer to my family and I know that I will have the support I need throughout my first year of teaching. In addition to teaching, I have agreed to be the assistant high school cheerleading sponsor!
On top of all of this, I am getting married on August 29th, 2009 to my high school sweetheart. We have just signed a contract to buy a house!
Jessica Spare
After graduating in May 2009, I will be entering my first year of teaching this fall at Meade High School in southwestern Kansas. My classes include Geometry, Algebra 2, and Advanced Math. I am looking forward to becoming part of a new community and school district. Ellen Templin
I will begin teaching Kindergarten at Flint Hills Christian School this fall. I am excited to be preparing my classroom and getting ready for my students. This summer I completed my first sprint triathlon in Denver. It was truly an exhilarating experience. My husband and I will celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary this December, shortly after he graduates from KSU in accounting. Joseph Kern
My wife and I teach at Hiawatha High School, which is almost in Nebraska and almost in Missouri. She teaches Agriculture, and I am excited to be teaching Physics this year, in addition to high school Chemistry. I was able to be certified this summer, and I also finished my Master's in Instructional Design and Technology from ESU this summer. And if you think that kept me busy, let's add in the 18-month old and the new baby that came in May. In addition to my classes, I will also be coaching middle school basketball.
Gabrianna Hall
In June 2007 I took a calculated risk and moved away from Topeka to the Kansas City area to facilitate gifted students at Mission Valley Middle School in the Shawnee Mission School District. I absolutely love the connection I share with students in early adolescence! Now that I am beginning my fifth year of teaching, I know I've found the right fit in a middle school setting.
In August 2009 I completed my Master of Science degree in Special Education: Gifted, Talented, and Creative from Emporia State University. I intended to take a rest from being a student, but the urge to continue learning keeps stirring within me. Soon--perhaps as early as this spring or next fall--I plan to begin coursework in school counseling. As a teacher of the gifted, I have a continued interest in fostering a realistic and increasing awareness in my students of themselves, their abilities, and their lifelong value to society's betterment. Through an established counseling background, I feel I can more effectively reach my students and their unique affective needs.
Since last summer I have been nesting in Lenexa, finding great enjoyment in completing home improvement projects! In April 2009 I brought home two rescued dogs--Ace the Pug and Betty the Boston Terrier. They are quite the dynamic duo (certainly small but mighty)! Trust me, there are no longer any dull moments in our household!
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