Courageous Warrior
Kari was nominated by her faculty as a student who constantly sought to better her practice while exhibiting the key pillars of Northwestern Raiders. Her dedication to high-quality work and positive, faith-filled peer interaction is something to be emulated. Kari's journey included unexpected hardship as she underwent cancer treatment while continuing her master's degree and teaching - and handled it all with a grace that is deeply inspiring.
We celebrate Kari, 6th-grade teacher, mom, wife, teacher leader and breast cancer warrior.
She earned her Master of Education in Teacher Leadership.
In the fall of 2018, I made the decision to finish my master's degree online. After searching and reaching out to many colleges, I knew right away that NWC Online was the best fit for me. I am a 5th/6th-grade special education teacher at Okoboji Middle School, teacher leader, wife, and mom. Juggling all of that was going to be difficult. What I wasn’t prepared for, was a diagnosis that would throw my life a curveball. I finished the Fall term and part of the Spring term with a breeze. That all changed in May. I felt a lump one morning by chance. Due to family history, I got into the doctor that morning. What followed was a series of events that led to a Stage 3 Breast Cancer diagnosis.
I reached out to my professors and advisor right away to let them know my circumstances.
They are the reason I kept moving forward with finishing out my master's degree while also receiving treatment.
Their faith, compassion, and understanding gave me hope that I could reach this long-term goal of mine. My family was my rock throughout my diagnosis and continuing my education. My husband took on so much to allow me time to work and research. The boys’ grandparents were our angels that kept the boys for most of the summer while I received a chemo that was hard on my body.
It was through my online classes that kept my mind focused and distracted from my disease.
In the fall of 2019, I was able to continue teaching part-time. I taught 3 days a week due to chemo treatments and a day of rest. My colleagues, administration, and students always took care of me. I was showered with love, kindness, cards, gifts, food, and prayers throughout my journey that kept me going strong.
I am so thankful for all of the people in my life that gave me support, inspired me to keep fighting, and motivated me to continue moving forward with my degree.
Because of my education through Northwestern, I was able to pause and reflect on my career and change my approaches as a teacher and leader. The classes challenged my thinking, faith, and instruction. Going forward, my mindset has shifted to a more open-minded approach as I work alongside other teachers to meet our students’ needs. My experience through Northwestern was wonderful. What I loved most about my experience was how each of my classes challenged my faith-based practices in and out of the classroom.
The advice I would give other educators considering the same program is to be prepared for excellence. Build relationships and make connections in each of your classes to open up your career to more possibilities. Most importantly, be willing to try new things, accept challenges, and make mistakes as you learn and grow.
Currently, I am a 6th-grade Language Arts and Social Studies teacher at Okoboji Middle School. Previously I taught Special Education for 13 years. What I love most about my job is building relationships with students. Making connections with students is such a beautiful thing and changes how I approach my instruction to meet the needs of my learners.
