LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Kate Lund was nominated by her principal, Clark Olstad.

Mrs. Lund is a fantastic teacher who is passionate about the education profession. She is a veteran teacher with a youthful energy and a continual desire to improve each year as an educator.

Mrs. Lund is the type of teacher who goes way above and beyond the normal expectations of an educator. Mrs. Lund has a "perfectionist" type of personality. She is extremely organized on a daily basis and always has a high level of energy for her students. Her classroom is incredibly organized, as well!

Another area where Mrs. Lund truly exceeds in is her ability to always be doing something that will help her colleagues and students succeed. Some examples of her extra duties include serving as the Spelling Bee District Coordinator, organizing and raising funds for the annual field trip to Eagle Bluff, Math League Advisor, leading all fourteen schools involved in the Math League area competition, and serving as the elementary school store supervisor, Chester Woods field trip coordinator, and the school district’s teacher union CEU chair person! As you can see, Mrs. Lund is unable to say no, which is a great thing for the Plainview-Elgin-Millville school district, students, and families. Everyone benefits greatly from her extra efforts.

Mrs. Lund has many strengths as an educator, but one of her biggest strengths is her ability to teach mathematics. Her unique ability to break mathematics down into simplistic terms so all students can understand is impressive. Many students at school have a mindset that they are not capable of succeeding in the area of mathematics. Over time, and with a relentless amount of effort, Mrs. Lund changes that negative belief in her students to the belief that math is fun and can be successfully accomplished.

Mr. Olstad recalled a quote from Malala Yousafzai that reminded him of Mrs. Lund, "One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” This quote means if there is anyone who is in position to bring positive change into the world every day, it is a teacher. Don’t ever think that a teacher’s efforts are insignificant or do not make a difference.

"It is hard to measure the positive influence a teacher has on someone’s life, especially a student. But, that is exactly what Mrs. Lund does day after day and year after year by positively changing the lives of her students and families," said Olstad. "She is, and will continue to be, a LifeChanger to many students and families at Plainview-Elgin-Millville Community Schools!”