Feature Stories from the Star Eagle pages.
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By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
A Moment in Time will be spent together during Farm and City Day’s weekend to honor Rodney Hatle.
The Star Eagle writer, contributor, and for a brief time, editor, Rodney Hatle passed away last year. Rodney was a seasoned journalist, teacher, sports enthusiast and friend to anyone he met. His collections of history, including pictures, binders, and much more will be on display and available gratis, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. July 10, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 11 at the New Richland Historical Society building located on Main Street. Food and beverages will not be allowed inside during the event in order to prevent possible spills or perspiration on any delicate papers or other items.
Carolyn Hatle, Rod’s wife, who first knew Rodney by his three letter nickname, had the idea to give away some of her husband’s works and collection when the Steele County VFW told her they were going to fly a flag over the Steele County Courthouse to honor Rodney.
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Beloved kindergarten teacher retires
MANY WONDERFUL BEGINNINGS — Retiring kindergarten teacher Becky Jensen has brought about many wonderful new beginnings for NRHEG's students. Here she is pictured on a trip to Pumpkinland in 2008 with the members of this year's graduating class. (Submitted photo)
By JORDAN HOREJSI
Panther Press
Becky Jensen, a kindergarten teacher at NRHEG for 32 years, has officially announced her retirement as of June 7, 2021. Jensen has taught for a total of 34 years and she expressed, “I’ve had a fantastic career!”
As a child, Jensen grew up with seven sisters and one brother, and she said, “I watched my mom deal with nine kids, milk cows and do chores before going to teach, coming home and having a home cooked meal for us every night.” She went on to say, “It was unbelievable.”
According to Jensen, her mom was not only one of the reasons she wanted to become a teacher, but also the person who inspired her most. “My mom was a teacher in a country school when I was little…” Jensen explains. “I remember watching her correct papers at night and listening to what she did all day. I loved it!
“The hardest part about teaching is balancing a person’s philosophy on what’s best for children and how they learn with what the district, state and/or federal government says is best,” Jensen continued. “Sometimes the mandates coming down from legislatures are not realistic or do not take into consideration that these are 5- and 6-year-olds who still need time to grow, develop and play.” With the pandemic, teachers have had to adapt and alter their plans numerous times to teach students the required information while still allowing them to have fun and relax.
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2012 NRHEG high school graduate shares his story
NATURAL - Luke Stout is pictured above with his two dogs, Itchy and Cinnamon.
By JESSICA LUTGENS
Staff Writer
Despite progress being made in recent years, the topic of addiction is something that still carries a pretty heavy stigma in the general public. However, those who have experienced addiction have a unique understanding of how powerful sharing one's story - the real, true, and often incredibly difficult times, which in the best cases lead to the almost equally difficult journey of recovery - can be to someone who is still struggling.
That was the main reason why one individual decided to reach out and share his story earlier this month. Luke Stout, 27, commemorated three years of sobriety on April 15 - something he would not have imagined doing during the time of his active addiction.
Stout's road to recovery began in a hospital emergency room. This wasn't the first time he had visited the ER - it had become sort of a backup plan of his that many other addicts have used as a way to get a fix in a desperate situation. During opiate withdrawals, he would go to the ER stating that he was having a panic attack in order to get a prescription for anxiety medications (benzodiazepines).
This strategy was successful the first two times, but by the third emergency room visit, hospital staff had caught on to the scheme. Stout was placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold for mental evaluation.
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SHE’LL BE MISSED — After 36 years in teaching, 23 at NRHEG, Mrs. Ramaker will be retiring this June. (Panther Press photo)
By A.C. Cords
Panther Press
Sharon Ramaker, the junior high math teacher at NRHEG, is retiring.
Ramaker has been a staple of many students’ childhoods, and not just the students at NRHEG. She has spent an overall of 36 years teaching, 23 of them at NRHEG.
Skunk problems, tractor tipping, and marker throwing are just some of the unique lesson formats that make Ramaker an unforgettable teacher. Accidentally eating a fly works too.
Ramaker says she always wanted to be a teacher. Why teach, though?
“I just love showing kids things,” she said. “I mean from the get-go that’s what I wanted.”
Ramaker, who is originally from Ellendale, attended Mankato State and graduated in only three, rather than the typical four, years. Her teaching license attained, she took a job at Wykoff, where she was hired not only to teach second grade, but also to coach varsity volleyball, basketball, and softball. “I graduated college on Friday and began coaching volleyball on Monday,” Ramaker recalls. Such a busy schedule!
Speaking of “busy,” she met her husband-to-be while coaching. When she let Donnie into the “open gym” hours one Saturday afternoon, he mistook her for a student. The two married in 1989. Ramaker taught at Wykoff for five years before deciding to move closer to home, so her children—eventually including sons Greg and Geoff and daughter Gretchen—could be closer to their grandparents.
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THANK YOU - In the March 11 edition of the Star Eagle was a photo of students from NRHEG who participated in a Relay for Life donation project. Pictured above are some of the students who helped make the donation possible: Acadia Beaver-Kormann, Alexis Olson, Ezra Boerner, Olivia Wilkenson, Kenny Spies, Jackson Woodham, Finn Willert, Noah Weller, and Aydin Reich. (Submitted photo)