By Kelsy Taylor
Marketing '22
Hollee Kubiszak loves being around kids and helping them reach their goals. The 2017 Trine University graduate knows she chose the right profession as a teacher.
“When I am at work, nothing else matters. I know there are a lot of people who go
to their jobs every day and do not love what they do,” she said. “When I am here,
it is not a job for me, and it’s the kids making it that way.”
Currently a Physical Education (PE1) Teacher at Angola High School in Angola, Indiana, Hollee was inspired to pursue a career in education by her grandma and grandpa, and wanted to be a teacher since the start of sixth grade. Before he left this earth, her grandpa told her, “There is no such thing as a bad kid.”
“I just hope I am making him proud by being an educator,” Hollee said.
She came to Trine because she was able to continue her basketball career. After she met the Franks School of Education faculty, it was a done deal.
“I knew as soon as I stepped on campus that I wanted to be part of the Thunder family,”
she said. “We are truly a family even after we are long gone. I know that I can send
Dr. Kline an email anytime and he is always very gracious.”
At Trine, she was able to get hands-on experience early.
“The Trine teaching program prepared me for my future by simply getting us into the classrooms as a freshman,” she said. “I did not think there was going to be a chance to get into a classroom until I was a junior and here, I was as a scared freshman going into classrooms.”
After graduating from Trine with a health and physical education degree, she was hired to teach seventh-grade science as well as some PE1 classes at DeKalb Middle School.
“I spent three years teaching at the Middle School before making the transition to Angola this year,” she said. “While it was a tough decision to make, it feels good to be teaching high school PE!”
"I always think about the saying, ‘They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.’ Relationships are the foundation and I fully believe that Trine really prepared me for that aspect in the classroom."- Hollee Kubiszak
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, her class routine has changed.
“When I come in, in the mornings, I have to create a workout for our virtual learning kids, and then we can think about what we are doing with our in-person students,” she said.
Her favorite moments are the class come when she can participate in activities with the students.
“They would give me a run for my money if I did it all the time,” she said, “but when I do things with them, they love it.”
