UW-Parkside Alumna Hannah Carls Voted Racine Journal Times Best Teacher of 2024

Published: October 16, 2024

Q&A With Racine Journal Times' Best Teacher Winner Hannah Carls '21

Each year, the Racine Journal Times allows the community to nominate and vote for the Best of Racine County in 2024. This year, UW-Parkside alumna Hannah Carls '21 was voted as the Best Teacher in Racine County. Hannah is a dedicated teacher who meaningfully impacts the learning and development of her students at Red Apple Elementary. Red Apple Elementary was also voted a hometown favorite for Best Public School (Elementary).

Hannah was born and raised in Racine, WI. She is a 2017 graduate of Horlick High School and earned an elementary education degree with a minor in English as a second language from UW-Parkside in 2021. She currently serves as a 5th-grade teacher for Red Apple Elementary and serves as the head cheer coach at Carthage College.

Hannah is passionate about providing a positive and nurturing environment to help her students and cheerleaders be kind and compassionate as well as providing the tools to achieve their full potential. She is organized, understanding, helpful, punctual, and always learning along with her students.

Q: What does it mean to you to win this award?

A: "I cannot even put into words what it means to win this award. I still am in shock. The fact that in the entire county, out of all the incredible teachers I know and love, people voted for me means everything to me. I love my job so much and I am so proud to represent my school and district in this way!"

Q: What do you view as your main goal as an educator and what do you see as the most important thing you can teach your students?

A: "The most important thing I teach my students and my main goal as an educator is without a doubt to teach my students to be good human beings first before anything else. I believe empathy is the number one trait a person can have and that is something that I remind my students of daily."

Q: What is your favorite part of your job?

A: "My favorite part of this job is making fun memories with my class which turns into a little family. I get to know these students and their families which creates a bond that is hard to break. I also especially love to see my students have 'lightbulb moments.' The aha moment when they figure something out that has been hard for them. It makes everything worth it."

Q: How did UW-Parkside help prepare you for your career?

A: "UWP had a major impact on my career and how well I was prepared for it. I felt like the opportunities and staff members in the education department were extremely positive and helpful. The best part was being in the classroom right away during freshman year with clinical hours. I appreciated those experiences so much because truly the only way to learn this job is to see it happening in real time."

Q: Do you have a favorite professor or class that you felt had a positive influence on you and helped you succeed?

A: "It is so hard to pick just one. Dr. Cramer, Dr. Prince, Dr. Franshaw, and Dr. Ryan were the 'core four' professors that really made my experience in college exciting. Their experiences and knowledge that they shared with me and my classmates has without a doubt helped me succeed tremendously in multiple situations in my career."

Q: What advice would you give to teacher-ed students who want to follow the same path as you?

A: This profession is not going to be easy. That is not a secret. However, it will be worth it. You have to be 110% invested and ignore the negative noise about being a teacher such as the salary or conditions. Of course, those things matter and my hope for all of you is that you find a school and district that is amazing. Always remember, if you change one child's life for the better, you've done your job!"

Q: Has anyone else been a significant positive influence on your career and success as a teacher and how have they helped?

A: "I would not be where I am today without my parents and my brother, who love me unconditionally and have supported my dreams forever. My extended family members, especially my Aunt Trish who was a graduate of UWP as well and is a counselor for the Racine Unified School District. She is one of my biggest inspirations and supporters. I also have to thank my lifelong friends and especially my best friend Taylor, who is a 1st grade teacher at my school.

As well as my first-year teaching partners, Mrs. L Martinez and Mrs. R Martinez. They are like 2nd moms to me and have forever changed my life with their love and support of me. Someone major I need to thank is my principal Scott Campbell. He trusts me to teach my heart out while teaching the curriculum too. He is incredible and I am so lucky to work for him.

Another person who has had a huge influence on me as a teacher and who I will remain lifelong friends with is my mentor teacher, Kari Baumann. She is amazing and I would not have been as prepared as I was my first year of teaching without her.

The last group of people I need to shout out is my OG class. My first class who I had when I taught 3rd grade and then I had the honor of teaching them again for 5th grade last year. They will never understand what they did for me in one of the hardest years of my life personally."

To learn more about the Elementary Education major at UW-Parkside, please visit https://www.uwp.edu/learn/programs/education-elementary.cfm.