Treats from local businesses, free massages, and filling in for recess duties are some of the ways the Mid-Prairie Student Boosters have shown their gratitude towards teachers and staff during Teacher Appreciation Week.

One teacher who is grateful for the efforts of the Mid-Prairie parents and community is Kerri Bell. Bell has taught for 23 years, 21 of them teaching second grade at Mid-Prairie. Bell says she’s passionate about what she does, “My husband is a farmer and we kind of have opposite careers, because right now I’m harvesting my crop of kids where he’s planting his crops. And I’ve nurtured these kids for nine months and to see the growth in them and to see the potential, it’s exciting.”

Bell says her favorite teacher was in fact her second grade teacher, Mrs. Gregory at the former Dysart-Geneseo Elementary School. Bell says she tries to reflect her positivity and encouragement, “Because sometimes we’re the only smile they get, we’re the only positive words they might get in their day, and so to give them that hope. And I know they’ve got 10 more years before they graduate from high school that I have them. And I hope that some of the things that we’ve done, that I’ve instilled stay with them for their life, to have the life that they dream of one day.”

Since the realignment of the elementary schools this year, Bell says it’s been a wonderful experience to work closely with the other second grade teachers and to bring all the students together.