BY MCKAYLA HELM, Editor
Laurie Erdmann, a retired English teacher, was inducted into the Kaneland Hall of Fame for Commitment because she started the journalism program and also continued to work after retirement to ensure its success.
“I was nominated, but I didn’t know anything about it. I’m so thrilled and honored to be selected. I couldn’t really describe my emotions. It was a lovely surprise,” Erdmann said.
But for Erdmann, she is just honoring students’ academic achievements and trying to help students develop skills they can use.
For a person to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, someone must fill out a nomination form, submit a résumé of the individual’s accomplishments and add letters of support. After the process, the committee makes a selection and call those that get inducted.
Pamela Ferdinand, also a former English teacher, took part of the selection of Erdmann and seemed proud of her choice.
“I wanted to nominate her because I always felt that she was one of the best teachers at Kaneland, one who always had her students’ best interests in mind and an educator who worked tirelessly to develop an exceptional program for the students at Kaneland,” Ferdinand said.
Some of the qualifications for a person to be chosen include having some background of their field of work and see how well and dedicated that person is. Also, the person has to show some sort of dedication to work for the school beyond the classroom. Many friends and colleagues, like english teacher Patty Welker, really seem to be happy for her selection.
“I’m very happy for her to be chosen. I couldn’t think of anyone more committed to Kaneland than she is,” Welker said.
Erdmann was a very hard-working teacher and always put a lot of dedication to her work and students also, but she had a humble beginning viewpoint of her future in education.
“Originally, I was just looking for a good English teaching job, but what I got out of it was so much more,” Erdmann said.
Erdmann was qualified to be an English teacher, but Kaneland had asked her to develop a journalism program to help teach the students directly about journalism. She knew from her own experiences as a high school journalist that there was more to a school newspaper than simply putting one out. Kids needed to learn about journalism, about journalistic ethics and integrity, so she went back to school herself and earned her masters in journalism after taking some crash courses. During her time, she’s had opportunities to visit and learn from different universities, even Harvard, as she grew together with the journalism program.
“The thing I am most proud of is the fact that I got to grow the journalism program as I developed my own skills,” Erdmann said.
But even with such a humble start, Erdmann took the time to help the school and her students, which still left a real impression on their memories.
“I remember whatever her students had going on, whether it was an academic question or personal issue, she always listened. She had so many students and so much going on, yet she always paid attention and made you feel like what you were saying was important,” former student Michelle Guthrie said.
Some other accomplishments of Erdmann’s were her help with creating the Kaneland News Bureau, the advertising sales and her help with the Krier when journalism teacher Kimberly Reese took on the role of the new journalism teacher and Krier advisor.
“I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work again, but I was scared because I didn’t know any of the students or what they already knew,” Erdmann said.
She was able to give her expertise and knowledge about journalism over the summer to help the staff get a head start. Guthrie remembers that Erdmann had always done everything to help her journalism students and the Krier.
“She improved the Krier by coming in early, staying late, having the summer meetings, and having a meeting during a school break and by getting new equipment or computers. I was a junior (1999) when we moved to the new Krier lab. It was great to work in that new space! Mrs Erdmann did a great job of giving her executive staff time and space to work together and brainstorm. She always knew how to inspire new ideas, challenge us to be creative, and give us the freedom to make it our own,” Guthrie said.
With her experience, the Krier was set to sail on smooth waters for the 2012-13 school year.
“Krier staffs are always such talented and hard-working people. There is no end to their creativity. I am very proud that the staff has made the Krier a self-supporting publication,” Erdmann said.
Overall, she is still thought of as a very dedicated and considerate teacher.
“I don’t know of any retirees who put in that sort of direct effort for the good of a program and the students; it impacts,” Welker said.
With all of her help and extra work, the selection choice was a logical one. She has helped many students and is remembered fondly.
“The skills I learned from journalism and Krier go far beyond the classroom. The foundations of multi-tasking, prioritization and sense of urgency are skills I have carried through every aspect of my life, and it’s how Mrs Erdmann taught these skills that has also stayed with me. She is an excellent teacher and a wonderful person. Thank you for everything, Laurie Erdmann!” Guthrie said.
Looking back, Erdmann wanted her students to come away as “responsible citizens who knew their First Amendment rights and how to handle them responsibly.” Upon asking her former students, it’s easy to see that she has given a lot to Kaneland and to the Krier.
“Kaneland is always going to be in my heart, and it’s a great place. I’m grateful to the school for giving students the freedom to be independant, and I learned so much from so many people: the administrators, the teachers… even the janitors! But when you’re a teacher, the people you learn the most from are the students. They opened my eyes to everything else around me. I’m very grateful to have had that opportunity,” Erdmann said appreciatively.
