There is no way to speak of the triumphs of Wisconsinites without paying homage to those who laid the foundation for their success. The educators of Wisconsin are the spark behind some of the most extraordinary people in history. None of us would be where we are today without the notable teachers and educational support we received at the most critical stages of learning.
- Ana Báez
Ana Báez is a bilingual counselor at South Division High School in Milwaukee. Alongside her experience working in a number of different educational settings, her personal experience as a former student has deepened her understanding of the need for educators to create a supportive environment for their students.
“Students need more than just academic guidance — they need someone who will advocate for their well-being, help them navigate life’s challenges and empower them to pursue their goals,” Báez says. That is exactly why she became a counselor in the first place, she says: to make a difference in her students’ lives.
- Brian Counselman
Brian Counselman is a science teacher and part-time project-based learning coordinator at Malcolm Shabazz City High School in Madison. Counselman says he loves that he is able to blend the things he loves with curricular goals, and he aims to make each day different with real, hands-on activities in his classroom.
“To say, ‘Yeah, we’re gonna learn about geology.’ And a lot of times that’s not something that excites someone. But if you pair geology with rock climbing, well that can get real exciting, real fast,” Counselman says.
- Claudia Heller de Messer
Claudia Heller de Messer is an English as a Second Language teacher at Milwaukee Parkside School for the Arts, where she helps students develop their English as they learn to read, write and speak.
Some of Heller de Messer’s favorite memories from teaching include watching her students experience their “first moments,” in particular their first time seeing snow. “It’s so fun going outside with students with just their jackets on, no gloves, no hats and touching snow for the first time,” Heller de Messer says.
- Rachel Sauvola
Rachel Sauvola is New Richmond High School’s first female agriscience teacher. She has been teaching for 26 years, but her passion for agriculture began when she was only 12 years old. She says the agriculture teacher she had in high school sparked her interest in the field.
“It was always my teachers that kind of gave me the extra love that I needed to be successful,” Sauvola says. “And as I thought through that opportunity, I wanted to be that person in my students’ lives.”