Lindsey Heil Story

Harper’s Unsung Heroes August 2026 Written by Gale Fischer

Teaching Our Littles

“Kindergarten is a magical place where dreams begin to grow.”

As teachers, we all have a similar passion for what we do, but our skill sets and comfort zones can be quite different. Some teachers are adaptable in terms of being comfortable teaching any subject across all levels, but many of us develop specific preferences about what areas we would like to teach. A veteran middle school teacher may thrive on the challenges of working with students entering the teenage years, while others among us might feel a bit panicked at the idea of lasting a day in that particular setting. That same middle school teacher who feels right at home working with students going through some of life’s most dramatic physical and emotional changes might feel ill-equipped to work in a lower elementary setting. One such role in our schools that takes a special kind of mindset is that of a Kindergarten teacher. As challenging as teaching Kindergarten may seem, many Kindergarten teachers have no interest in teaching anything else. Wattles Park Kindergarten teacher Lindsey Heil never pictured herself teaching in an early childhood setting while searching for her first teaching job almost twenty years ago. Having spent her entire career teaching our youngest students, she can’t imagine teaching anything else.

Lindsey was raised in the Cereal City.  She shared her childhood history. “I was born in Kalamazoo in 1984,” she said. “My family moved to Battle Creek when I was two years old. My parents, Jack and Sue Burkle, still live in my childhood home on Goguac Lake. I have an older brother, Joel, and an older sister, Kristyn. Both still live in the Battle Creek area with their families.”  Lindsey reflected on some of her many positive childhood memories. “We spent a lot of time on Goguac Lake, and also spent time during the summers in Grand Haven and Muskegon,” Lindsey noted. “I enjoyed staying with my grandparents often, who lived in Grand Rapids. Every spring break we went to Orlando, Florida.” 

Lindsey’s dad was the primary breadwinner of the family, but her mom also went to work as Lindsey transitioned from elementary school to middle school. “My dad worked at Yellow Freight in Kalamazoo as a terminal manager while Mom was a stay-at-home mom through my 6th grade year before she started working at Macy's unloading trucks in the morning,” she recalled. “She has also taken care of the flowers every summer for 25 years for the Battle Creek Country Club. She also loves gardening at home.” 

School was something that Lindsey enjoyed immediately, and it has been a great source of contentment for her ever since. “I went to Minges Brook Elementary for my Kindergarten through 5th-grade years,” Lindsey explained. “I rode the bus sometimes, but often my parents let me ride my bike to school. This made me feel independent, and I loved being able to do this. I loved school right from the start. I was on the student council in elementary school. It was after my 4th grade year that I knew that I wanted to be a teacher. My 4th grade teacher, Shelley Erickson, made learning so much fun. She is now retired, but I am still in contact with her. One project that she had us do that I remember was making a model haunted house for Halloween. I do remember getting in trouble one time for not participating in a game in gym class because I didn’t like it. Our librarian, Mrs. Katz, would go out for our lunch recess and organize relay races. This helped to fuel my love for sports. I enjoyed sports from an early age. Sports were a big part of our family. My dad loved watching sports, and my older brother played ice hockey.”

Lindsey appreciated the academics and learning that was a part of school, but she also enjoyed the social part of it with the friendships made. There is one early friendship that is as strong as it has ever been. “I met my best friend, Brenda Beck/Dolbee, in Kindergarten,” Lindsey said. “We remain close today even though she lives in Florida. I would spend time with her family at their cottage in Baldwin when we were kids. Brenda comes home from Florida for a month each summer. I go to visit her for spring break every year. We also spend a week each summer with our kids at the cottage in Baldwin.”

Lindsey moved on from Minges Elementary after her fifth-grade year. “At that time, Lakeview had one building just for 6th grade housed at Territorial School,” Lindsey said. “I loved 6th grade. I had a great group of teachers. This is where I met my next group of friends that I was close with all through high school. Our school was close to McDonald's, so sometimes our teachers would treat us to McDonald's for lunch. I also remember the fire department coming over to help us with the egg drop. We would wrap our egg with certain materials and drop it from the fire truck ladder.” 

Middle school brought with it many positive experiences for Lindsey. “Our middle school was for 7th and 8th grade,” she noted. “I remember the teachers letting us help with the scan tron machine. I took home economics class and learned how to cook and balance a checkbook. Sports became a big focus. I had played travel soccer and volleyball before this, as well as t-ball, softball, gymnastics, and floor hockey. In middle school, I focused on basketball, volleyball, and soccer.” 

Lindsey remained involved in many things when she moved on to high school. “I continued to play basketball, volleyball, and soccer,” she said. “I was a four-year varsity soccer player. I participated in many of the extracurricular activities, including building floats for homecoming and being involved in many of the clubs. I started cadet teaching my senior year. I went back to Mrs. Erickson’s room to teach. By this time, she had transitioned from 4th grade to 2nd grade. This sealed the deal for me in wanting to be an elementary teacher. What I remember most about cadet teaching is building relationships with the students.” Lindsey gave up volleyball her junior year so that she could work part time. “I started working at Old Navy,” she noted. “I continued working for Old Navy part time for the next twelve years.” 

Lindsey was ready to go to college to earn her teaching degree after finishing high school.  “I graduated from Lakeview High School in 2002 and started at Western Michigan the following year, living in the dorms with a friend from high school,” Lindsey said. “I enjoyed the college experience. It was a great way to transition to being an adult and being partially independent. I did my internship in 2007 at Verona in first grade with Ana Antes, so I came back to live at home. I graduated from Western in May of 2007. I also nannied for a family in Battle Creek starting in 2003 and continued this during the summers of my first few years of teaching.” 

Lindsey landed a job out of state after graduating from Western to start her teaching career. “The job market for teachers was not good in Michigan at the time I graduated from Western,”  Lindsey recalled. “I randomly applied to teaching jobs in North Carolina. I was hired to teach kindergarten at West Clayton Elementary. Originally, I was hired to teach 2nd grade, but a few days before moving to North Carolina, I was told that the 2nd grade position was not available, but that I could teach kindergarten if I wanted.” This change became a defining moment for Lindsey. She had never imagined she would teach kindergarten and was somewhat nervous about this. It quickly became obvious that being a kindergarten teacher suited her well. “This change was difficult to accept, and I wasn’t sure that I still wanted to go, but ultimately I went there,” she admitted. “My parents packed me up in a U-Haul, and initially I did an extended stay in a hotel. Eventually I found an apartment.”  

The thought of moving so far away from home may have been a source of anxiety for Lindsey early on, but she quickly found comfort, and North Carolina felt like home. “I loved everything about working at West Clayton,” she said. “There were many veteran teachers on the Kindergarten team that I learned from. This was a large school. We had ten Kindergarten classrooms. The class sizes were capped at 18 with one para in each room. I remained at West Clayton for five years. I fell in love with North Carolina.” Lindsey would have been content to stay in North Carolina, but she was blessed with the birth of Colton in September of 2011, which left her rethinking what she wanted moving forward. “I decided that I wanted to be closer to family after Colton was born,” Lindsey shared. “I moved back to Battle Creek after the 2011/2012 school year. I was fortunate enough to find a teaching job. I started teaching Young Fives at Endeavor Charter Academy, and remained in the Young Fives room for two years before moving to  Kindergarten. I loved my experience at Endeavor. I worked with many great teachers and made many friends there.”

Working at Endeavor provided an opportunity for Lindsey to learn and grow as a teacher, establish contacts among her peers, and make some great friendships, but she decided to come to Harper Creek when an opportunity became available after five years with Endeavor. “Wattles Park teacher Rhonda Smart’s son Wyatt was a student in my class at Endeavor,” Lindsey recalled. “Rhonda recruited me to come join the team at Wattles Park. Wattles needed a Kindergarten teacher going into the 2017/2018 school year. I decided to apply, was called in for an interview, and was then offered the job. It seemed like a great opportunity, so I accepted the job.”

Lindsey has continued as an early childhood teacher and will begin her ninth year at Wattles Park. “I have taught Kindergarten here for all eight years, with the exception of teaching Developmental Kindergarten the first year Harper Creek implemented this program,” Lindsey said. “I look forward to another year of kindergarten this year.” Like all of the schools that Lindsey has taught in, her experience with Harper Creek has been a positive one. “I have enjoyed my experience at Harper Creek and want to work here until I retire,” Lindsey noted. “I love the Kindergarten team that I work with. The staff is great, the students are great, and the families are great. I like to make learning fun, and I feel that I am able to do that here.” 

Teaching Kindergarten has many challenges, but Lindsey manages to create a positive learning environment for her students every day. “I strive to make learning fun for my students,” she explained. “I like to do a lot of hands-on learning activities for my students. Kids need to be kids and learn through play and experiences. My favorite part of being a teacher is watching kids smile, learn, and build independence.” 

Lindsey went back to college a few years ago to earn a graduate degree. “Going back to school to get a Master’s degree was something I had considered in the past, but I didn’t feel like I could afford it,” Lindsey said. “I found out about Grow Your Own Grant (GYOG) when it first started, but I really didn’t consider applying for it. After talking to some co-workers who had started GYOG, it sounded like a good idea. I started in the summer of 2024. I hadn’t gone to school in 17 years, so it was a shock getting back into being a student. There were some tears, but I had some support from co-workers.” Lindsey chose the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) track. “The things that I have learned about teaching non-English speakers in my college classes are things that apply to all students, especially in Kindergarten,” she explained. “I graduated last May. Financially, it has been a bonus, saving me about $ 28,000 on tuition and books. It has really been a gift. Earning an MA gave me a close to $10000 pay raise as well. I am thankful to have had the opportunity.”

Outside of school, Lindsey stays very busy. “I like to spend time with friends and family,” Lindsey said. “Colton is a freshman at Harper Creek. He and I like to go to sporting events and travel. We travel to all his sports tournaments. Many of our excursions are centered around Colton wanting to go to every major league ballpark to see a game. So far, he has been to nine stadiums. Colton is playing tennis this fall, which is a new sport for him.” Lindsey also works part-time at a local wedding venue, Dreamfield Acres, during the summers and on weekends during the school year. 

Teaching at any level requires a certain level of patience, an ability to multitask, and the temperament to go off script when things don’t go as planned. It takes a special person to be a teacher, with Kindergarten teachers having a unique skill set and a passion for children starting their school journey. Lindsey and her team of Kindergarten teachers continue to lay the groundwork to prepare our students for thirteen years of school and beyond.

A Runner's Best Friend

Just Another Runner’s Perspective June 2026 Written By Gale Fischer

A Runner’s Best Friend

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.”

—-Roger Caras

6/18/2026: The sun hung low on the horizon to the east as I plodded along on my first trip down the gravel dead-end road at the end of my driveway. My faithful four-legged companion, Winny, was at my left side, stride for stride. The round trip down and back was just a tad over eight tenths of a mile, and four passes would give me a little more than three miles. Normally, I prefer one long loop or a single out-and-back course when running, but with my canine friend keeping me company, it was much easier to stick to this much quieter option rather than a road shared with morning commuters on their drive to work. The contentment I felt for just being able to start the day with a run on this cool June morning helped erase the monotony of retracing my steps over and over again on the same stretch of road. Running can offer a variety of positive experiences. A run can be enhanced when shared with a dog. 

I had broken back into a routine after seven months away from running, building my endurance for almost a ten-month stretch without interruption, starting in July of 2025, only to be sidelined with a strained calf ten months later, near the end of April. To fill the void of not running, my exercise schedule since April had shifted to walking, with the bulk of these miles with Winny on the same dead-end gravel road we were now running on. 

My return to my sport after six months away would not be rushed, with a conservative game plan involving cycles of running and walking intervals, with the running portion increasing gradually each week. I had developed a daily habit of walking with Winny, and it seemed fitting to continue with Winny as my partner while adding running into the mix.

Through the years, running has become my go-to activity. When I started in 1998, it didn’t take long for it to become a part of my weekly exercise pattern. Running had become an activity that I had embraced four or five days a week for much of the past twenty-eight years. When I initially started this journey, the first fifteen months, I ran solo. It took a few months to get over the physical discomfort of each run for it to become an activity that gave me physical and mental contentment and joy, and eventually, I took comfort in the alone time that running gifted me. There were times when it provided opportunities to problem solve through life and job circumstances, but I also found that running could allow me to not think about these circumstances for an hour or so at a time. Running gave my brain what it needed, whether it be a chance to meditate, an opportunity to reflect, or an hour to problem-solve.

Although the alone time of each run seemed to provide mental and emotional stability, soon I longed to find others to share the experience with. Eventually, I found a group to run with. Although not the same as running alone, I realized that running with others also boosted my mental and emotional stability. If I were asked if I prefer running alone or would rather run with others, I’m not sure I could answer this question. I would say that balancing my hobby with solo and group helps to keep running fresh.

Sharing running with my dog has added a new element. I have found that I can enjoy many of the benefits of solo running, but also experience some of the positives of running with others, when running with Winny by my side. Humans connect in a way when running together that is different than how humans connect in any other facet of life. The same can be said about human/dog connections. I have found that running with Winny has allowed me to connect with her in a way that is unique. As I continue to build back my endurance, I anticipate that Winny will not accompany me on every run, but I am hopeful that my new running partner will continue to join me a few times a month.

Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective.

Brogan Temple Story

 Heart of Gold

“Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.”

—-John C. Maxwell

As educators, we strive each day to teach our students the academic standards needed to handle the rigors of the next grade, the next class, and the adult world. These tools will prepare our future leaders to read and comprehend beyond childhood, complete resumes or cover letters, and apply the basics of mathematics to plan and budget as adults. Beyond academics, our students will need to possess human relations attributes, including compassion, empathy, and teamwork. These skills will make them more marketable in the job market, help them maintain healthy relationships as spouses, parents, friends, and coworkers,  provide them with lifelong emotional stability, and equip them to positively influence others. These human relations skills can be taught directly or indirectly, and some are reinforced through our model. Some students come to us already equipped with bits and pieces of these characteristics and simply need encouragement from adults to fully develop them. Then there are those students like Harper Creek eighth grader Brogan Temple who seem to have these traits on full display, modeling to students and teachers alike their importance.

Some of Brogan’s teachers have taken notice of his special qualities. “Even before I met him, I knew Brogan was extra,” said Kayla Whitmyer, one of Brogan’s middle school math teachers. “What I didn’t know was just how extra Brogan was and is... he is extra kind, extra selfless, extra inclusive, extra empathetic, extra compassionate, extra friendly, extra hardworking, extra non-judgmental, extra caring, and extra protective. Brogan is the type of student, athlete, leader, and person that makes everyone, and I mean everyone, he comes in contact with better and happier. His presence is bold, welcoming, and transforming. He is the guy you turn to, not only to celebrate life’s successes, but even more noteworthy, you turn to him for help when struggling, for guidance when lost, and for safety when things are shaky. He is a fierce advocate of what is right, fair, and safe.” 

Brogan, the middle child of Ben and Rebecca Temple, has always seemed to have an easy-going personality, with maturity expanding the influence that his personality would have on others. “I was born on October 14 2011,” Brogan noted. “I have an older brother, Maddox, who is 22 years old. He graduated from Harper Creek in 2022. My younger brother Grayson is 12 years old and in 6th grade.” Brogan went on to talk about some of the things that keep him grounded outside of school. “I enjoy grilling. My favorite thing to grill is steaks. I watch YouTube videos to learn how to grill. I follow Max the Meat Guy and Guga. Brats and hot dogs are also some of my favorite foods to grill.” Brogan enjoys traveling and has been to Texas several times to visit family. “I also stay busy with activities that I participate in at the church we attend, New Hope Apostolic Church,” he added. When Brogan isn’t traveling or attending church, he and his family spend a lot of time during their summers in the water, swimming and boating.

Brogan started kindergarten at Wattles Park and continued there through 4th grade before moving on to middle school. No matter what challenges Brogan encounters, he remains upbeat. “School has never come easily for Brogan, but he still does well and makes the best of it,” said his mom, Rebecca. “No matter what obstacles are thrown his way, Brogan never complains.” Perhaps the learning challenges that Brogan has faced have helped to shape his personality of always staying positive and sticking up for the underdog through his compassion. Brogan added to what his mom said. “I wasn’t always such a good kid,” he noted. “I feel that I have matured over the last few years. I just want to care about and help other people.”

Brogan’s elementary school experience ended with the pandemic,  a period of time many of us would rather forget. Despite the pandemic, Brogan has some fond memories from his five years of elementary school. “I enjoyed elementary school at Wattles Park,” Brogan explained. “The building feels a lot smaller now than when I attended. I started playing sports during my elementary years, participating in Wattles Park Men's Club soccer and basketball. I also started Rocket Football in 4th grade. Rocket Football was canceled in my 3rd-grade year because of COVID. I try to block out the years during COVID.”

The transition to middle school for Brogan was a smooth one. He was ready to make his mark and influence a new group of friends and teachers. Sports continued to be a big part of his life. “I started wrestling in 5th grade,” Brogan noted. “I have participated in wrestling, football, lacrosse, and track since starting 5th grade. Lacrosse and track are during the same sports season. This takes up a lot of time doing two sports at the same time. I would also like to play all of these sports in high school. I would say that I like all sports equally.” Each sport has provided special experiences for Brogan. “For football, we went undefeated for three consecutive years starting in 6th grade,” he explained. “I remember scoring a touchdown in one of our football games. I was on the offensive line, and one of my teammates fumbled the ball. I picked it up and ran it in. I feel that track is a lot more social. I have been a thrower, and I also participated in the 4 by 100 relay. I can remember winning a wrestling match and helping my opponent get back up. Sportsmanship is something that comes naturally to me. Helping someone out is something I like to do.” Perhaps what Brogan appreciated most about sports is that his football coaches would share a quote with him and he teammates before each practice and game. “These quotes are always inspiring,” Brogan mentioned.

As important as athletics are for Brogan, it is another extracurricular activity group that Brogan enjoys the most and where he has thrived. “I joined the student council this year,” said Brogan. “I heard about it and knew immediately that I wanted to be a part of it. I like to help people, and so I decided to try it. We have cleaned around the school grounds, putting new mulch in the yards. I suggested that next year we put mulch out at some of the other buildings. We also went to nursing homes to sing Christmas Carols. We meet once a month to discuss what we can do to help out. I absolutely plan on being on the student council in high school. I have completed all the paperwork to do this. One of my favorite activities was when our student council hosted the Special Olympics this year. It was fun helping out with this. We helped elementary kids all the way to 22-year-olds.”

Volunteering his time to help with the Special Olympics fits perfectly into what makes Brogan tick. He is in his element when his actions help to bring out the best in others. Mrs. Whitmyer has seen this character strength on display with Brogan countless times. “Whether it is his daily greetings at the door, his pride in others’ accomplishments, his ability to multiply joy, or his call to serve and give back to his school and community, Brogan carries himself in a way that makes you want to be the best version of yourself,” she explained. “He lifts others up, both figuratively and literally, and has a knack for ensuring everyone in his presence authentically belongs. Life is heavy, and the world can be cold, but Brogan is a glowing example of humanity and kindness. I could not be prouder of everything Brogan is and what he isn’t. He is EXACTLY what this world needs.”

Like many teenagers, Brogan has found that sports and extracurricular activities have been and will continue to be a huge part of his school experience. Still, the classroom is also part of his ongoing story.  He was asked to talk about a few of his favorite classes, but he had a difficult time narrowing down the list. “Some of my favorite classes have been 8th Grade math with Mrs. Whitmyer," Brogan said. “I have also enjoyed social studies with Mr. Reese and science with Mr. Shipley. Social Studies last year with Mrs. Dempsey was also memorable. She was a first-year teacher. We were her guinea pigs. Mr. Bowling, the weightlifting teacher, and PE teacher, Mr. Newland, were also among my favorite teachers. I also enjoyed life skills with Mr. Dishaw.”

The student/teacher relationship often works both ways, with teachers having a profound impact on students and students also inspiring teachers. Like Mrs. Whitmyer, Brittany Ries, a teacher in Brogan’s co-taught math class, has also felt his influence. “As a teacher for the last 15 years, I've had many students walk through my classroom door,” Mrs. Ries recalled. “Brogan is definitely one of a kind. I have many fond memories of Brogan, but my favorite from this year has to do with his genuine kindness to others. One day, I witnessed him greet EVERY single classmate with a "Morning, (insert classmate name here)!" as they walked into math class. He looked at each of them. He said every one of their names. That's just Brogan. I am lucky enough to work with him for two hours out of my day. Part of my job is preparing our 8th graders for life at the high school and beyond. One day, I asked Brogan, "What kind of work do you want to do as an adult?" He quickly answered, "I want a job where I can help people." I wasn't shocked by his response. I would have if it were any other 8th grader, but that's just Brogan.”  Brogan was the recent recipient of a new award given at the middle school end of the year award ceremony. “The 8th-grade team started department awards this year,” said Mrs. Whitmyer, “and Brogan’s name repeatedly got brought up as a fantastic human, student, and leader who perseveres through life's challenges. He was chosen by his teachers to receive the Excellence in Resilience Award.” 

As Brogan comes to the end of his middle school years, another transition is on the horizon as he goes to the high school on the south side of campus. This is a transition that Brogan looks forward to as he is introduced to new teachers and coaches. “I am excited about going to high school next year with new teachers, classes, and athletic experiences,” he shared. “I have heard that there is a prayer club in high school, which is something I would like to join.” Brogan’s mantra is to live in the moment and cherish each day as it comes, but he still considers his future as an adult. He mentioned several possibilities for careers, including a professional athlete, a chef, or a construction worker. Ultimately, he wants to be able to help others in whatever he chooses to do.

Teachers are awarded with an array of emotions that create a sense of contentment and fulfillment. One of these emotions is the pride that is often felt for students. Many of Brogan’s teachers are blessed with this sense of pride, with his mom and dad sharing the same sentiments. “He is a very humble leader,” noted his mom, Rebecca. “He is constantly helping other kids. Brogan is always very positive, even when things don’t go this way. He is very encouraging to others. Being helpful is his nature. Sports have helped with his work ethic, attitude, and leadership skills. It is not necessarily his goal to have people be proud of him, but it is so easy to be proud of him.” His father, Ben, expressed similar thoughts. “Brogan’s has shown a natural positive attitude, and an element of charisma has come out over the last few years,”  Ben added. “As he has matured, we have seen more of this. He has also become a peacemaker. His teachers say that Brogan is always eager to learn.” 

Like many of our students, Brogan has added many positives to the culture and climate of our schools. His influence will shift next year to high school, with four more years to grow personally and to also help others grow. He is larger than life.

Maria Jo Williams Story

Just Another Runner’s Story May 2026 Written by Gale Fischer  

Somebody is Always Watching

“Having influence is not about elevating self, but about lifting others.”

—-Sheri Dew

All athletes have the potential to inspire and serve as role models. Running can offer the opportunity to lead by example in a way that is different from most sports. A daily routine of running is often on display for others to observe, not in an arena or on live television, but out on the streets and neighborhoods of our communities. Anyone who sees a runner out on the roads, including every driver or passenger in a car that passes a runner and every child playing on the playgrounds and in the yards surrounding the streets that a runner traverses, could be the next person who is inspired to embrace physical activity. It might be a one-time observation, or it could be a scenario of a driver seeing the same runner at the same time, Monday through Friday, on the same stretch of road as they make their daily commute home from work. One does not have to be a non-runner to draw on the motivation of other runners. As a long-time participant in running, I always take notice as I drive along roads, seeing individuals embracing our sport. I feel that every runner has an intriguing story that can uplift many. Positively influencing others might be something that we never think about as runners, but the impact we have on friends, family members, acquaintances, and complete strangers is real, even if we are completely unaware of it. Being a positive example is something that this month’s featured runner, Maria Jo Williams, loves about our sport.

Running has been a part of Maria Jo’s routine for much of her life. “I started running when I was about twelve years old,” she explained. “There was a 5K race in my hometown of Colon. I hadn’t trained and just decided to sign up. I finished in second place. This kind of hooked me.” Maria Jo continued running after this initial experience, with it becoming a big part of who she is. “I kept running on my own after this race, and later I joined my school’s cross-country team in 7th grade,” Maria Jo said. “I also joined my middle school track team in that same year. My events included the 800-meter open, 1600-meter run, and 3200-meter run.” 

Running became an important part of Maria Jo’s life almost immediately. “I loved it and was running year-round,” she added. “I would find local races to sign up for every summer. I continued with track and cross-country through high school.” Maria Jo attended Colon High School for her freshman and sophomore years before transitioning to Vicksburg High School to finish her high school and athletic career. She experienced success with her teammates while at Vicksburg. “We qualified for the state cross-country meet in my senior year at Vicksburg,” Maria Jo recalled. “We had an awesome team. At that time, cross-country was a 3-mile race. I was lucky not to have any major injuries in high school. My fastest race for cross country was 21 minutes.” 

Maria Jo graduated from Vicksburg High School in 1993. Her days as a student athlete may have been finished, but this didn’t keep her from enjoying running. “I continued to run on my own until I had my first child, Leslie, a few months later,” Maria Jo noted. “I started running again about five months after Leslie was born.”

Like many who have been running for years, Maria Jo has had to battle setbacks. “I have run consistently since starting back after Leslie was born, other than taking a year off to deal with a herniated disc in 2019,” she explained. “I had to do a lot of lifting for my job, which contributed to my back injury.” 

Maria Jo enjoys running on her own and what it does for her mentally and physically, but connecting with other runners is also something that keeps running exciting for her. “Through the years, I have run several 5K races, 10K races, and half-marathons. I have run one full marathon, the Sunburst Marathon in 2015,” Maria Jo said. “I’d like to try another someday. The local races provide opportunities to run with and interact with other members of the running community, and kind of help to keep me motivated. After all of these years, races still get me excited and give me the jitters. One of my most memorable races was a first-place overall finish for a 5K in Coldwater for the Branch County Coalition Against Domestic Violence race in 2018. This was very exciting for me. My favorite half-marathon was the Falling Waters Half Marathon near Jackson, which I ran in 2017. Through the years, I have done much of my running with others. I ran with a group from Branch County for many years until I moved to Battle Creek in 2023. I ran for a year on my own when I first moved to Battle Creek, before finding others to run with. I also had to take some time off when I first moved to Battle Creek because of my back.”

Maria Jo’s herniated disc has never fully healed. She talked about continuing to run while managing this injury. “For many years, I dealt with my back injury and was still able to run, but in the last few years, I have been receiving injections in my back every three months to reduce the pain. This has helped, but the doctors want me to have surgery on my back. I am scheduled for a surgery consultation in June.” Maria Jo wants to hold off on surgery as long as possible, but understands that it may be necessary one day.

Maria Jo always seems to find a way to keep running. She talked about what draws her to the sport. “I have run for almost 40 years. It’s really an addiction. Part of it is I want to hold on to that level of fitness. Running makes me feel strong and energized. Even when I struggle to breathe and my body hurts, I feel awesome. Running has always been enjoyable, even when I was a child and not doing it as a regular activity. I can remember the joy of running as a kid, when playing tag and other games on the playground with my classmates. I like to run the roads and trails, but also like to do speed work on the track. I prefer running in the morning. It feels better to start my day with a run.” 

Maria Jo feels happy to have played a part in the fitness journeys of some of her family members. “My daughter ran cross country in high school,” Maria Jo recalled. “It was awesome to watch her compete as a high school runner. My son would sometimes run with me when he was younger. As adults, they still run. My daughter is more consistent with her training, but my son doesn’t train much and just shows up to race. It is neat to see my kids enjoy an activity that I am passionate about. My husband and his sister don’t run but have started walking. They come with me to races and sign up to walk the 5Ks.” 

Maria Jo likes to get others involved in being active, not just her family. “I feel that as runners, we influence others who see us out on the roads running,”  she said. “I’m always striving to influence others to run and to be active.” 

Running can provide many positive outcomes for participants. As Maria Jo reminds us, the benefits that are received from running can extend to non-runners as well.

Everyone has a story.  Stay tuned next month for another runner’s story.

Dave Studer Story

 For the Love of the Game

“If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

—-Mark Anthony

A career of working with our youth can provide contentment and joy spread out over multiple decades. Even with the moments of fulfillment, teaching, coaching, and mentoring can be exhausting. For many in our profession, retirement planning begins as we near the thirty-year mark. The rewards are much appreciated, but there comes a time when a new chapter must be written, and a change of pace is needed. Harper Creek varsity wrestling coach Dave Studer has taken a unique approach in his career. He has almost doubled the thirty-year mark with Harper Creek. His love for his craft is what keeps him coming back year after year.

Dave is unique among our employees in many ways, but perhaps what sets him apart most from the rest of us is his age. At 82, he may have a few decades or more on most of us, but his years as a teacher and a coach have kept him young. He reflected on his childhood. “I was born in Port Huron, Michigan, in 1944, the second oldest of six siblings. We grew up in Port Huron, went to school in Port Huron School District, and graduated from Port Huron High School, which at that time was a three-year high school for 10th through 12th grade.”  

Dave was small in stature compared to the other athletes attending his high school, but he didn’t let this deter him from participating in sports. “I played football my sophomore year, but found a more suitable sport for me after this,” Dave said. “A friend of mine encouraged me to try out for wrestling. At this time, there were no divisions for high school wrestling in Michigan. We had a really solid team that competed with some of the state’s bigger schools. I had some very talented teammates who pushed me to be a better wrestler. They always dominated me during our practices, but this only helped me achieve success during our competitions. I went undefeated in our league, the Eastern Michigan League, for my entire three-year career.” Some of Dave’s high school teammates and coaches were successful in their sport beyond the high school level. “For my last two years, we had an excellent coach, Anthony Benito, who had wrestled at Bowling Green,”  Dave explained. “He was a small guy but tough, and he knew what he was doing. I had teammates who competed for Miami of Ohio, and another for Eastern Michigan. Two who graduated a year before me went to wrestle at Michigan.” Dave competed at the collegiate level after high school. “I wrestled in the 95-pound weight division in high school and was recruited by coaches from Western Michigan, U of M, and Eastern Michigan,” Dave noted. “I considered going to Michigan, but decided to go to WMU because I was unsure if I could handle the academics at Michigan.” Dave graduated from high school in 1962 and went to WMU to compete in the 123-pound weight division.

Dave was a dedicated athlete in high school, but he quickly found out that competing at the DI collegiate level required a higher level of commitment. “I found out in college that the coaches and team owned my time,” Dave explained. “Between off-season conditioning and the regular season, we were preparing for the competition year-round. We couldn’t even go home for Thanksgiving. The dorms were closed for the holiday weekend, but our coaches would find people we could stay with. When I was in college, the only athletes who used the weight room were the wrestlers and the track team's throwers. The football team never used the weight room. At that time, it was believed that bulking up would hurt the skill level required for football.” 

Dave enjoyed participating in athletics during his high school days and wanted to continue in this capacity as an adult. “Ultimately, I wanted a career as a coach,” he said. “I would coach Little League Baseball when I came back home from college each summer. When I enrolled at WMU, I decided to major in physical education and minor in health and psychology.” 

Dave finished at WMU in 1968 with everything completed except for student teaching. “I was working for the government in the Job Corps Division, so I decided not to do my student teaching,” Dave noted. “Harper Creek was looking for a fill-in wrestling coach in 1968 as the middle of the school year approached. The AD contacted my college coach for references, and he gave them my name. I received a call to come coach for Harper Creek. This was supposed to be temporary, but it turned into a lifetime career.” 

Because of the opportunity presented by Harper Creek, Dave was doing what he wanted to do. He was in his element. “I continued to coach and work for the Job Corps but eventually quit the Job Corps to do my student teaching in physical education at Harper Creek High School,” Dave recalled. “My first season as wrestling coach was a success. My athletes wanted to win but were kind of soft. I brought some of my Job Corps kids to practice with them to help build their mental toughness. Through the season, they learned to become tough. We won the regionals meet that year. It was exciting as a first-year coach. I can still remember the names of all of the kids on this first team. The development of each of them as wrestlers carried over to other sports.” 

After Dave took over as wrestling coach, Harper Creek administrators also wanted to hire him as a teacher. “After I began coaching, I did my student teaching in the physical education department at the high school,” Dave explained. “The next school year, I started my first teaching position, traveling between Beadle Lake, Sonoma, and Wattles as the district's first elementary PE teacher. Other job duties included running the 6th-grade camp for Beadle Lake.” Dave met his wife, Julianne, while working as Harper Creek’s district elementary PE teacher. Julianne was a sixth-grade teacher at Beadle Lake at the time. “Julianne was an outstanding teacher and has received several awards as a teacher,” Dave said. “We were married in Las Vegas in July of 1975. I have one daughter, Julie Ann Sims, and a son, David G. Studer, and Julie has a son, David R. Studer. We have four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.”

Wrestling has always been Dave’s passion, but he spent his teaching career coaching three sports seasons each year. “I was the JV football coach my first year of teaching. I coached football for about three years,” Dave shared. “I was also coaching boys' tennis in the spring. When Harper Creek added a girls’ tennis team for the fall, I quit football and started coaching girls’ tennis. I coached tennis up until I retired from teaching.” Dave enjoyed his role as boys and girls tennis coach and the success his teams experienced. “The last girls’ tennis team I coached had two girls receive full-ride scholarships,” Dave said. “Marie Cameron went to Grand Valley as their number one singles player all four years, and Nicky Schwarz attended Saginaw Valley, where she was their number one singles player all four years. In their senior year, they met at their college conference finals, where Nicky won.” Dave’s tennis teams won more regional championships through the years than his wrestling teams have won, with three for the boys’ program and two for the girls' program. “My last ten years of coaching tennis, the boys' team went to the state meet every year, and the girls went eight out of my last ten years,” he noted. “I had some success coaching tennis and really enjoyed it.” 

Dave started his tenure at Harper Creek as the district elementary PE teacher, but the bulk of his teaching career was spent at the secondary level. “After leaving the elementary schools, I split my time between the Middle School and High School, teaching physical education,” Dave explained. “Eventually, I was just teaching at the high school. I have also taught health and psychology. I taught weightlifting classes. I started the Bigger, Faster, Stronger Program at Harper Creek. For several years, I also taught gymnastics classes at the high school. Eventually, the equipment began to deteriorate and became unsafe. The district couldn’t afford to get new equipment, so gymnastics was dropped.” Dave is a firm believer that the skills involved in gymnastics are important for development in all sports. Through the years, he has incorporated the tumbling components of gymnastics into his wrestling practices.

For the bulk of his career, Dave’s schedule spilled over from the school day to evenings and weekends with athletic practices and competitions. He even took on a hobby beyond teaching and coaching that consumed much of his time. “I had always had a desire to raise cattle,” he explained. “Julianne and I owned a farm near Marshall, where I was able to raise a small number of cattle, but over time, this farm became too small. Eventually, we found a bigger farm near Albion and bought it. I still raise cattle today, but on a much smaller scale. For several years, I was teaching, coaching three sports seasons, and raising cattle.”

After more than three decades, Dave was ready for his life to slow down some, but not to go on full pause. “When I retired from teaching in 2001, I had spent about 35 years in this role,” Dave said. “I gave up coaching tennis, but still wanted to coach wrestling. I have seen over the years what wrestling and athletics can do for the development of kids. You are on your own on the mat, but you still have teammates. It gives me a sense of satisfaction to see young kids mature and graduate from high school and become active members of the community. I tell the kids that if they can wrestle, they can do anything in life. I’m grateful that I can still do this. I will be 82 in May. I know that coaching has kept me young. What I have noticed is that there is a community in wrestling. The kids compete on the mat, but they are a community off the mat.”

Like many coaches, Dave has witnessed the impact of his sport on future generations. Athletics teach our kids specific skills aligned to their sport, but the common thread for all sports is the life lessons that are learned that mold young athletes into productive adult workers, dedicated spouses, and loving, supportive parents. He has seen many of his former athletes come back to Harper Creek to make their mark on our community. This list includes Beadle Lake 2nd Grade teacher, Nicole Schwarz, one of Dave’s former tennis players. Former wrestlers for Dave who currently work for the district or have in the past include Joe Yurisich, who has served as teacher, administrator, and coach; Jim Robinson, who has coached and filled the role of maintenance supervisor for many years;  Larry Quick, who has been a teacher and coach for his alma mater since 1993, as well as Tony Evans and Joe Ramos who have come back to their home school to coach.

Dave’s passion for teaching and coaching has been the driving force for his years of dedication to Harper Creek, but there are other factors. “Next year will be my 60th year of coaching,” Dave shared. “I will keep doing it as long as I feel that I am making a difference for my athletes. My expectations for kids have never changed. I have had opportunities at both the high school and college level to leave, but I have always enjoyed it here and never really had any desire to pack my bags. I have had a lot of support from the administration, staff, and community here at Harper Creek.” 

Going to work each day is an integral part of life for most individuals in our society. If you hate your job, then your life will be one of misery. If your job does not bring you joy but is still tolerable, then your life can be manageable. If you are lucky enough to have a passion for your job and benefit from the joy that it brings you each day, then your life is blessed. Nearly 60 years into his career as a teacher and coach, it appears that Dave’s chronological age does not match his biological age. The joy that his job has given him is likely a major ingredient in Dave’s recipe for slowing the aging process. This joy has also kept him coming back every year for nearly six decades.