Education

Alumni

Learn more about how Education Department alumni impact the lives of students every day.

Cheryl Swiatko, '82, named State Teacher of the Year

Teaches first grade at Gifford Elementary School in Racine, Wis.
Mrs. Swiatko was named the 2011-12 Wisconsin PTA Teacher of the Year. "Learning comes alive in Cheryl's classroom," parents of her students wrote in nominating Mrs. Swiatko for the award. "A black and white textbook turns into colorful animation. Students are engaged with games and props to let their imagination propel them into learning."

Becky Steinbach, '85, named State Teacher of the Year

Teaches second grade at Gifford Elementary School in Racine, Wis.
Mrs. Steinbach was named the 2010-11 Wisconsin PTA Teacher of the Year. "There is no reward greater than developing young minds," she said.

Eliot Underhill, '09, named RAMAC Administrator of the Year

Assistant Director of Alternative Education at the Mack Center in Racine, Wis.
In 2012 Eliot Underhill was selected as the Racine Area Manufacturing and Commerce Administrator of the Year. "Teaching is serious business and it is important," Mr. Underhill said. "Little things and details do make a difference. It is fun; it is challenging. We learn much more from our students than we teach them."

Kim Wendt, '06, named Teacher of the Year

Teaches eighth-grade science at Mitchell Middle School in Racine, Wis.
In 2012 Kim Wendt was named the Racine Area Manufacturing and Commerice Teacher of the Year. She also won a grant through the Pepsi Refresh Challenge. "To be the person who makes science engaging, relevant and fun is empowering," Ms. Wendt said. "All while teaching each student that they matter and are important, building those relationships are the best."

Heather Connolly, '92, named KUSD Administrator of the Year

Principal of Frank Elementary School in Kenosha, Wis.
In 2012, Heather Connolly was named the Kenosha Unified School District Administrator of the Year. She implemented an extended-year plan to make Frank Elementary School part of the Expeditionary Learning Network.


More Success Stories

Kathryn (Lamberton) Boero, '77
Head of the Primary School at The Prairie School in Racine, Wis.
"I loved and continue to love the small personal learning community environment at Carthage," Mrs. Boero said. "I feel each time I take a class at Carthage, creativity and individuality are nurtured in combination with a strong dedication to learning best practices for educating children, which I draw on daily."

Mari (Drummer) Grobschmidt, '02
Teaches third grade at The Prairie School in Racine, Wis.
"Great people can make great change and we need the best of the best to become teachers," Mrs. Grobschmidt said. "There are many boys and girls out there who need teachers who want to give all they have."

William (Bill) Haithcock, '91
Principal at Harborside Academy in Kenosha, Wis.
In 1997, Mr. Haithcock was named the KUSD Teacher of the Year, and in 2007 he was awarded KUSD Administrator of the Year. But to him, one of his greatest successes is Harborside, which is being used as a model for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to help other educators start new charter schools.

Sharon (Smith) Tilton, '70
Adjunct Professor of English, Carthage College
Sharon Tilton recently retired from teaching after a 30-year career. During that time, she taught kindergarten, first grade, third grade, fourth grade, and fourth grade science. She dedicated the last 12 years of her career to being a Title One Reading Specialist for students in kindergarten through fourth grade.